Not all changes are for the worst...
by Emher
Summary: NOVEL-LENGTH FIC! Harry's fifth year. Ron and Hermione have become a couple over the summer. Ginny's changed for the better in the looks department, and Harry's falls in love with her. Although, getting her won't be that easy... HP/GW RW/HG
1. Chapter 1 Meeting at the Burrow

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, so please don't sue me!  
  
  
  
1. Meeting at the Burrow  
  
Harry was sitting up in his room at the Dursleys at Privet Drive number 4, and was checking his things to make sure everything was packed. In a while Mr Weasley would come and pick him up and they would go to back home to the Burrow. It would be fun to see his friends Ron and Hermione again, plus all the other Weasleys, the twins Fred and George, Ginny, Mr and Mrs Weasley. It would even be nice to see Percy after this summer. Although Dudley had let him be alone most of the time, Harry had worked harder than usual with the washing and cleaning. Harry knew this was the Dursleys way of punishing him for coming back alive from Hogwarts this year too.  
  
"At least it's good exercise," Harry thought to himself. This was quite true. Because Harry had worked so hard during the summer, he was no longer as skinny as before. Now he had a more normal build, plus the fact that he was a bit taller. And there was sure to be more exercise during the autumn, with Harry's Quidditch-training and all. When Harry hadn't slaved for the Dursleys he had been left alone up in his room. He had longed to see his friends, which he had written to all summer. Harry was checking another time to see that all was packed, when uncle Vernon entered the room.  
  
"Weren't they supposed to be here now?" he asked Harry impatiently.  
  
"In five minutes," Harry answered. Uncle Vernon made a grunt that Harry knew meant that he should take his things and go down to the hall and wait. When he was down in the hall Harry began thinking of how Mr Weasley would come and pick him up this time, but he didn't have time to think more on that matter since the doorbell rang. Uncle Vernon opened and there stood Mr Weasley.  
  
"Good day," Mr Weasley said to uncle Vernon. Uncle Vernon didn't say anything but seemed relieved that Mr Weasley hadn't come through the fireplace this time to pick up Harry. "Is Harry ready?" Mr Weasley asked cautiously.  
  
"I'm all done, Mr Weasley," answered Harry behind uncle Vernon (who was very efficiently blocking the view). Uncle Vernon moved aside so Harry could go through.  
  
"Good, then let's go, Harry" said Mr Weasley to Harry. They went outside, and Harry was pleased that Mr Weasley didn't try to make the Dursleys say goodbye to Harry. The last time he had tried that he had become the target for several flower pots thrown by aunt Petunia. Once outside Harry saw that Mr Weasley had a new car, a exactly same Ford Anglia as the last one, only orange in colour this time. Mr Weasley saw Harry's reaction to it.  
  
"Yes, I managed to get an new car," he said to Harry, who now noticed that no one else than Mr Weasley had come to pick him up. Harry was a bit disappointed because of this, and this also Mr Weasley noticed. "Ron and Ginny wanted to come along and get you, but they had other things to do." Harry was a little relieved by the explanation. Mr Weasley opened the baggage compartment and Harry put his trunk in it and put Hedwig in her cage in the backseat. The he sat down on the front passenger seat, while Mr Weasley sat down at the drivers seat and started the car.  
  
"So, how was your summer?" Mr Weasley asked Harry with a smile as he started driving the car down the street.  
  
"Alright, thanks for asking," Harry answered. "And you? Everyone's good?"  
  
"Oh yes, a little work at the ministry only. But otherwise it's fine, but you now that already, of course." Harry knew that Mr Weasley meant Harry exchanging letters with Ron, who had told him everything that had happened over the summer. They went on talking about different things during the trip, when the car suddenly made a loud bang and a blue cloud of smoke erupted from it.  
  
"What the..?" Mr Weasley started, but was interrupted by yet another bang and another cloud of smoke, this time a dark red colour. "Well, it's only a little further. We'll probably make it home..." Although the two of them became more uncertain of this when a light green cloud of smoke erupted from the engine. The car now begun shaking, the engine not sound well at all. "It alright, were almost there..." Mr Weasley said, half to assure Harry it was okay, half to assure himself of the same thing. Harry just hoped the car would stay in one piece.  
  
  
  
When they finally arrived at the Burrow Harry was greeted by Fred and George.  
  
"Oy! Harry!" said Fred. "Nice to see you!"  
  
"Yeah, we were almost starting to wonder if those muggles wouldn't let you go," said George. Harry chuckled at the thought of the Dursleys keeping him at Privet Drive number 4 out of free will.  
  
"No, that wasn't what happened," said Harry, a moment before a another cloud of smoke erupted from the car. This time it was purple. Mr Weasley tried desperately to understand what was wrong with the car, when he got an expression on his face that said "So, that's why!" He turned to Fred and George, who tried to look as innocent as possible. This only made them look more guilty.  
  
"George?"  
  
"Yes, Fred?"  
  
"Did we clean the engine after we did the experiments?" George looked, if possible, even more guilty than before. At last he spoke to Fred again.  
  
"Wasn't you supposed to do that?" Fred immediately looked really pissed off.  
  
"Oh no! That was YOUR job, we agreed on that!" The twins started arguing with each other, but stopped quickly when they saw Mr Weasley's rather angry expression.  
  
"Uh... We'll help Harry take his things inside," said Fred quickly. Fred the grabbed hold of Harry's trunk, and George took Hedwig's cage at the same time as he grabbed Harry. The twins ran towards the house with Harry being dragged along. When they were inside the house they went up to Ron's room and put Harry's things on the floor.  
  
"What did you do to the car?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh, just testing some products," said Fred.  
  
"Ah, I see," said Harry, smiling as he remembered one of the twins old products, the canary cream cookies. Then he came to think of something. "Where is everybody? I didn't see anyone when we came in."  
  
"Mom's out shopping, and the others are out on the back yard," said George.  
  
"Ron's training to get on the team this year," said Fred.  
  
"Well let's go out there then," said Harry. They went down the stairs and out to the back yard. Once out there Harry saw Ron flying around on his broomstick, and at same time tried to hit some balls which had to server as bludgers. The balls was thrown by a girl on another broomstick. "I didn't know Hermione could play Quidditch, or fly a broomstick for that matter," Harry thought to himself. But there was something about her that wasn't quite right. The hair was to neat and straight, especially as she was flying around on the broomstick. It also seemed to have a more red colour than the usual brown one. "She's probably found some way to keep it straightened by, and she's probably died it for fun. Or so that she and Ron would look more like a couple," Harry thought.  
  
  
  
Hermione and Ron had become a couple during the summer. Viktor Krum had asked Hermione if she wanted to come and stay with him in Bulgaria for a few weeks. When she told Ron about in a letter, he ran down to the fireplace to use the floo network to get over to her house. Totally surprised Mr and Mrs Granger had choked on their tea when Ron had appeared in the living room fireplace, where Mr and Mrs Granger where having afternoon tea.  
  
"Hi, where's Hermione?" Ron asked, out of breath from running down the stairs at the burrow, as soon as had had got out of the fireplace. Mr Granger pointed to the stairs and managed to get out that it was the first room on the right on the second floor. Ron ran up the stairs and knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in," answered Hermione's voice from inside the room. Ron opened the door and sped in to the room where a surprised Hermione sat on the bed with a book in her arms, with Crookshanks the cat at her side. "Ron. What are you doing here?"  
  
"You...can't...go...Hermione..." said Ron, still out of breath. He calmed down a bit and continued. "I'll lock you up if that if what takes to keep you here."  
  
"Ron, now your just being silly! For the last time, Viktor is NOT as mean as he may look and it's COMPLETELY safe in Bulgaria!"  
  
"That's not why I'm asking you to stay."  
  
"Well then, why is it?" Hermione asked, slightly ticked that Ron couldn't accept anything she did with Krum. Ron took a deep breath and prepared for what he was about to say. "Here we go..." he thought to himself.  
  
Hermione was beginning to realise what he was going to say. "Oh my God! That's it! He's in love with me! That's why he's been so hostile towards Viktor! Because he's in love with ME! Oh my God!" Hermione thought in about two and a half seconds. "Ron..." Hermione started uncertainly, but Ron interrupted her.  
  
"No, wait a minute! I have to say this while I still have the guts to say it!" Hermione nodded, and Ron took another deep breath. "You can't go because...because...if you go you and Krum will become better friends during the time you're there and maybe, which I'm afraid of, more than friends... That's why I can't let you go, because then I would lose you. I love you, I really do. And when I say that I don't mean as a friend, but...more than as a friend... I've never felt like this about any girl before. I love you. Please don't go!" Slightly out of breath he ended his spontaneous little speech. Hermione had tears in her eyes. "Oh no... I've made the biggest mistake of my life..." Ron thought to himself.. He started to walk towards the door to go back down the stairs and go back home to the Burrow, lock himself in his room and never ever come out again.  
  
"Ron, wait!" Hermione called out, her voice cracked. Ron turned towards her. "That's not why I'm crying, not because you said that! Or, yes it is, but only because I'm so happy you said it!" Ron felt more relived than ever, it felt like an mountain had been lifted from his chest. The next moment Hermione jumped up from the bed, put her arms around Ron, and gave him kiss. The first second or so Ron was shocked over what Hermione had done, but then kissed her back. He felt warm all over, and wondered why he hadn't done this sooner. Hermione felt the same thing, also wondering why she hadn't done this sooner. They stopper kissing after a about ten seconds, both of them slightly out of breath. And then Hermione said something that Ron had longed for her to say, even though understood now that she felt that way.  
  
"I love you too, Ron." Ron just smiled and they kissed again. Then they both went down to Hermiones parents in the living room. Both adults had big smiles. "Oh... So you heard that?" said Hermione, slightly uncomfortable that her parents had listened.  
  
"Every word," said Mr Granger and smiled, if possible, even wider. "Good work, boy," he said, while Mrs Granger nodded to show that she agreed. She was so touched that she could hardly speak. She stood up and put her arms around Hermione.  
  
"Oh, my little girl," she said, still sobbing tears of joy. She then put her arms around Ron also. Ron thought that he'd finally found a person which hugged even more crushing than his own mother, Mrs Weasley. Mrs Granger finally let go and that was good for Ron's sake, who had started to turn a blue colour by now.  
  
"But how did you get here, Ron?" asked Hermione curiously. Ron explained that he had travelled there by the floo network. He could do this because Hermione's families fireplace had been connected to the floo network as a safety precaution when Hermione started at Hogwart's. Hermione explained to her parents what the floo network was and they looked pretty relived when they found out that it was completely normal in the wizard world. Finally it was time for Ron to get back home. He said goodbye to the Grangers, gave Hermione a peck on the cheek, took a pinch of floo powder out of his pocket and threw it into the flames. He stepped into the fireplace.  
  
"The Burrow!" he said, loud and clear and was taken home again. After that Hermione had written to Krum and told him what had happened, and declined his invitation. Krum sent a letter where he wrote that he understood. Although, Harry was pretty sure that if there had been models of Ron (though Ron wasn't a world famous Quidditchplayer), as there were of Krum, and if Krum had owned one of those, then Mrs Krum probably would have found something looking suspiciously like little bits and parts of a model under Krum's bed. Ron had done the same thing with his model of Krum when Krum and Hermione had spent quite a lot of time together last semester. Although, Ron had denied for Harry that he'd ever done such a thing.  
  
  
  
Ron and Hermione had seen each other quite a lot during the coming weeks, and that was why Harry wasn't surprised to see the two of them on broomsticks. Now they both landed an started walking towards Harry, Fred and George. Hermione was talking to Ron and they hadn't seen Harry yet.  
  
"Don't you think she overdid it with colouring her hai..." Harry stopped when Ron and Hermione discovered him and waved. But it wasn't Hermione. Harry could hardly believe it, but the girl Ron had practising with was his sister, Ginny Weasley. She had changed quite a bit during the two months that had gone since he had seen here at Kings Cross station, where they all had said goodbye for the summer. Her hair had changed to a reddish bronze colour instead of the usual trademark Weasley red, she had more visible and feminine curves and she really looked more her age. But most of all it was her face that had changed. Not so much to the looks of it, no, there was something different. Sure, before the summer she had still been really cute, but then she still was cute like a little girl. Now she looked more beautiful as a young woman rather than a girl, and Harry immediately pushed every thought of Cho Chang, Rawenclaw's cute seeker, out of his mind. Ginny got her beat easily. From being startled over Ginny's beauty he literally gaped as a goldfish. Fred and George noticed this.  
  
"Ah, yes, *sob* our little sister have grown up so fast *sob*" said Fred with obviously fake sobs, and dried a imagined tear. Harry didn't take his eyes of Ginny, who now smiled towards him, a slight blush present on her face. Harry immediately felt the same feeling he'd felt every time Cho had smiled towards him, only about twenty times stronger. Harry blushed heavily. Ron and Ginny had now reached the spot were the three others were standing. "Hi Harry!" said Ron, who at first didn't notice Harry's heavy blush. "How was your trip?" Harry snapped out of his surprise over Ginny's looks and looked at Ron. To his surprise Ron's face wasn't were it had been before the summer, but about 4 inches further up. Evidently Harry wasn't the only on who'd grown over the summer. Harry now looked slightly up towards Ron's face.  
  
"Fine, thanks," said Harry. "But you might want to ask Gred n' Forge here about that." Ron and Ginny looked at Fred and George, who once again looked guiltily innocent.  
  
"Let me guess, you forgot to clean the engine after the experiments, right?" said Ginny to Fred and George. Harry thought that even Ginny's voice sounded more beautiful than before. Once again the slight blush became present on Harry's face, and at the same time Fred and George began fighting over who's fault the whole "engine incident" was. Now Ginny looked at Harry.  
  
"Eh...hi, Harry..." she said looking at her feet, with a heavy blush present in her face. Harry's mind now got overheated by the whole thing, and he had to express it somehow. This resulted in him giving out a low giggling sound.  
  
"Eh...yes...hi, Ginny..." said Harry, also looking at his feet and with an even heavier blush in his face. Ron noticed this, and found it strange that both Ginny AND Harry was acting so odd.  
  
"Are you feeling all right, Harry?" asked Ron. "You look a little bit strange." This lead to Harry's becoming even heavier than before, in part because Ron had noticed, and in part because Harry saw that Ginny also had noticed. The colour of Harry's blush now rivalled the colour of Ron's hair.  
  
"Hi Harry!" said a voice behind Harry. He turned around and there was Hermione, a big smile present on her face. Hermione had also got more feminine curves over the summer, but the change was not as drastic as Ginny's. Hermione also noticed that both Harry and Ginny had a deep red colour on their faces, but she didn't say anything for now. "How was your trip?"  
  
"Fine, thanks," said Harry. "And you?"  
  
"Same here, just fine." Ron now went up to Hermione, hugged her, bent down and gave a peck on the lips.  
  
"Hi there..." he said warmly to her.  
  
"Hi there yourself..." she said back, equally as warm. For a second Harry got the idea of doing the same thing with Ginny that Ron and Hermione had just done, but the rational part of him won just in time. Otherwise he might very well have done it. He looked at Ginny. She seemed to have had the same inner battle that Harry just have had. Harry swallowed.  
  
"Shall we go inside?" asked George, who now had stopped fighting with Fred. "Mom will want to welcome you two." Fred and George went in first, followed by Harry and Ginny, who both still were very red. About ten feet behind them came Ron and Hermione, walking closely together.  
  
"Does Harry like Ginny?" Hermione asked Ron quietly.  
  
"I don't know," he answered, equally as quiet. "But is seems that way, seeing how he's behaving towards her."  
  
"Okay, you'll check with him later and I'll check with Ginny if she still likes him." Ron rolled his eyes, as if the answer was obvious.  
  
"Of course she is! Didn't you see how she behaved just now?" Hermione hushed to be quiet so that Harry and Ginny wouldn't hear him.  
  
"Yeah, your probably right... But I'll check it with her later on, okay?"  
  
"Okay." They continued into the house.  
  
  
  
Inside Mrs Weasley had come back home. She immediately caught sight of Harry and flung her arms around him.  
  
"Hi, Harry!" she said as Harry was trying his best to breathe through Mrs Weasley's crushing embrace. "Had a good summer?"  
  
"Hi, Mrs Weasley. I had an okay summer, thanks for asking," he finally managed to get out. "Did your shopping go well?"  
  
"Yes, it went fine!" Mrs Weasley now broke her crushing embrace. "But where's Ron and Hermione?" At that moment Ron and Hermione entered through the door, still walking closely together. They hadn't seen that Mrs Weasley had come home yet. But once they did, they quickly moved apart. Mrs Weasley looked at them with a worried expression. "Ron and Hermione, its allowed for you to show that you're a couple in front of me. It's okay, I can accept that you're growing up, Ron," Mrs Weasley said to them with a concerned look. Ron and Hermione seemed to be a bit ashamed, and moved a bit closer to each other, although not as close as before.  
  
"Sorry mum," said Ron. "We sort of do it automatically."  
  
"Yes, Mrs Weasley," said Hermione. "We didn't mean to rude or anything. It just feels a little... To be doing that to your son i. front of you just feels a little..."  
  
"...Embarrassing," said Ron. Mrs Weasley now looked very worried.  
  
"To do what with my son in front of me?" she asked. "It's nothing improper to show that you like each other! For god sakes! I didn't know you saw me that way! As a sour old crone who won't accept that people show their feelings the slightest bit! Hermione, you have spent enough time in this house the last few weeks to know that." Ron and Hermione now seemed to be very embarrassed, especially Hermione.  
  
"But I expect you'll get used to it in time..." Then a smile surfaced on her face, and she embraced them both. "Lesson understood?" she asked jokingly. Ron and Hermione also smiled.  
  
"Sure thing, mom," answered Ron.  
  
"Yes, Mrs Weasley," answered Hermione.  
  
"So, run along now, Dinner will be ready in half an hour," said Mrs Weasley. All the children started to go up the stairs. "Except you two. You're going to help me with making the table, among some other things, because of what you did with the car." Fred and George sighed and went down the stairs again. Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione just smiled and went on up the stairs. Once up Ginny quietly told Hermione that she was going to do something before dinner and went into her room. Harry looked after her until her door closed, and then he, Ron and Hermione went into Ron's room.  
  
  
  
A/N: First chapter done! As you've probably noticed this chapter was a bit heavy on emotions at times, but it was necessary to establish Ron and Hermione as a couple (I'm a BIG R/H-shipper!) and to establish Harry's new- found feelings for Ginny. Some of my early reviewers (i.e. my mom) have complained about teenagers not saying "I love you", but something more like "I like you". Normally I would write it like that, but Ron was desperate, okay?! And then Hermione didn't want to worse, so she said that too.  
  
Oh, and in case you haven't noticed, this story focuses a lot on Ron and Hermione. And so it shall be, at least as a start. Then, later, we'll see who it focuses more on ;)  
  
Now, click the little button down to the left and review!  
  
Emher (who began writing this in February! Although in his native language, not English) 


	2. Chapter 2 Dinner and a walk in the sunse...

A/N: Here's the second chapter. It's still in the tone of the first one, but next chapter things will begin towards a tone that at least I like a bit more. In fact, the next two chapters are my favourites so far ^_^ Now, read and review!  
  
Disclaimer: J.K. owns Harry, not me.  
  
  
  
Chapter 2. Dinner and a walk in the sunset  
  
They could hear noises from outside the yard when Fred and George were making the table, followed by the sound of Percy opening his window and telling to be quiet. Harry, Ron and Hermione talked a while about different things, although not about Harry and Ginny's behaviour towards each other. Ron and Hermione was going to check if they acted the same way during dinner, and ask the both of them about it afterwards. Now they mostly talked about which fellow students they had met during the summer, and Hermione had actually had actually met Cho when Hermione and Ron had been in Diagon Alley.  
  
"She seemed to feel a bit better than at the end of term, but she still was a bit down..." said Hermione. Harry felt a sting of guilty pain inside when reminded of the events leading to Cedric's death. He still felt responsible for his death, and he couldn't imagine that Cho felt any better, especially since she'd gone out with him. Harry heard Ron moaning loudly over Chudley Cannons latest loss, but he wasn't really paying attention. Hermione began complain on Ron for still being grumpy about that, since it was over a month since it happened. Ron and Hermione began arguing. Harry only smiled, thinking that they could still argue like before. Only, this time they finished the argument by a way that Harry at least never had seen. Ron and Hermione suddenly stopped arguing, threw their arms around each other, and began kissing. Harry was so stunned by this that he couldn't help but gape like a goldfish.  
  
"Well... This certainly was a new method!" he thought. Ron and Hermione now seemed to have totally forgotten that Harry also was in the room, and began to lie down on Ron's bed. Then Harry composed himself. "Um...I'm still here..." he said to Ron and Hermione. The eyes on the two went wide open, let go of each other, and sat straight up. Both of them had blushes of embarrassment on their faces. Harry found their behaviour so amusing that he could hold it in any longer, and started into fits of laughter. Now it was Ron and Hermione's turn to be stunned. But after a few seconds they also began laughing. That they, who'd argued the most in all of Gryffindor, not only had become a couple, but still argued as equally as much as earlier, was indeed amusing. Although, they undoubtedly finished their arguments easier than before.  
  
"What, you think this take's the prize? You haven't heard the worst yet" said Hermione to Harry, recovering from the laughing. Ron now began laughing even more, trying to catch his breath.  
  
"Haha, please! Hahaha, please wait until I can catch my breath! Hahahahaha!" Ron pleaded to Hermione, through the laughing fits.  
  
"Oh, all right," she said impatiently, and then gave him a peck on the cheek. After a while Ron had stopped laughing. By now Harry had become a bit impatient and wanted to know why Ron had begun laughing even harder. Hermione closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then she opened her eyes and started telling the whole story.  
  
"A week before your birthday we were fixing your birthday-present in here." Harry remembered his birthday-present. It was a box for his Thunderbolt, which cleaned the broom whilst it lay inside it (A/N: This is the best I could come up with! I'm not very good at presents, even in real life...). Hermione continued telling the story. "It was a bit late and I was spending the night here for the first time. We needed something sterile for a part, and Ron had sneaked out to a shop, a muggle-shop, earlier in the evening to fix it. He came back with a package containing something that the people in the shop had said would be sterile. When we opened it on the evening it became quite clear that Ron didn't know what it was..." "How was I supposed to know!" said Ron, trying to defend himself. "Ron, let me finish the story!" Ron agreed. For now anyway. "Anyway, what was in this package was...was..." Hermione began giggling uncontrollably. "If I say it like this, Harry: did you ever have sex-ed in the muggle- school you went to before Hogwarts?"  
  
"You're not saying..." said Harry, beginning to realise what Ron had bought in the store. Hermione nodded decidedly.  
  
"That's exactly what I'm saying! Ron had bought condoms!" Harry and Hermione had an even worse laughing fit then before. Ron on the other hand looked a bit grumpy. Hermione composed herself and continued. "That's still not the worst part. We decided that we could use them anyway. Then we got on with it..." Harry raised an eyebrow. "..not like that, Harry...with trying to finish the present. Although, we didn't know that Mr Weasley had woken up to go to the bathroom, and happened to pass outside of Ron's room just in time to hear me say 'Condoms? I thought you'd buy some pills or some kind of...well, something else!' The Ron just said ' What's the difference?' I thought I'd explain it to him later on. So I just moaned and said 'Never mind, I sure it'll do fine anyway..." And we began finishing the present, which caused sounds that could be...um...misinterpreted. But all of a sudden Mr Weasley banged the door opened and bellowed 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! YOU'RE FAR TOO YOU TO BE DOING SUCH THINGS!' This because he'd finally had remembered why he'd thought that 'condoms' had sounded so familiar!" Now all three exploded into fits of laughter, with no end in sight. They laughed and they laughed, tears running down their faces. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Fred and George popped their heads into the room. For one second they looked at Harry, Ron and Hermione, before coming up with what it probably was all about.  
  
"Let me guess...?" said Fred.  
  
"...Dads 'misinterpretation'?" George finished. Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't do anything but nod. Fred and George looked at each other.  
  
"Ah, yes. That story will be remembered throughout the coming generations..." they both said, a nostalgic look on their faces.  
  
"Come on, dinners ready," said Fred. Harry, Ron and Hermione composed themselves and followed the twins out into the backyard.  
  
  
  
Once out in the backyard they saw to their surprise that nothing actually was broken. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked with distrusting looks at Fred and George.  
  
"What?" they both said immediately. Then thought of what the three others meant.  
  
"We didn't really brake anything!" said Fred, slightly offended. Neither Harry, Ron nor Hermione stopped looking at them.  
  
"Or used magic to fix something!" said George, equally as offended as Fred. Non of the three others moved an inch. "...Maybe to fix the tables..."  
  
"...And the chairs..." now Fred also admitted. Harry and Ron seemed satisfied with the answer, but Hermione still didn't move a inch. "Yeah, yeah, a plate too, but that's it!" Fred exclaimed. Now Hermione also seemed happy. All five sat down at the table. On the table there was lots of different courses that all looked delicious. Even though Ron's family was poor, Mrs Weasley could still fix quite a feast at special occasions. Now Percy (who said Hello to Harry since he hadn't seen him yet), Mr and Mrs Weasley came out into the backyard and sat down at the table.  
  
"But...where's Ginny?" Harry asked. Ron and Hermione exchanged glances, as if to say "And why exactly does he care so much about that?"  
  
"She said she was going to do something. She'll probably be out any second now," said Hermione after a moment. And right she was, after a minute or so Ginny came out into the back yard. For the second time that day Harry gaped as a goldfish when he saw Ginny. Although, this time it certainly was understandable. Ginny had arranged her hair into an long, carefully done, pigtail and wore a bluish green dress, which went down to her knees. It wasn't ordinary, but quite as fine (A/N: Um...I'm not quite sure on my word- selection there...) as a balldress. And Hermione could swore that she'd even put on some lipgloss (A/N: I think it's called that in English). Ginny really was very beautiful. Hermione turned to Ron, giving him look that meant to say "Now there's no longer much of a point of asking her if she's still in love with Harry, is there?" But Ron was gaping like goldfish, just like Harry. So had Fred, George, Percy, yes even Mr Weasley. Hermione just sighed to her self and thought "Men...". Ginny saw everyone's expressions, especially Harry's, and a light red blush appeared on her face. When she sat down Hermione was the first to speak.  
  
"So, that's what you were going to do." She looked at Ginny, a light smile present on her face. Ginny nodded.  
  
"Yes. I'm sorry it took so long, but this pigtail was really hard to do by myself," she answered Hermione. Now all the goldfish-gaping men recovered. Although, it took a second or so for Harry to do the same. They all started saying things like "It's all right," and "How nice it looks," as to excuse their behaviour. At this the light red blush in Ginny's face turned even a bit redder than before. Mrs Weasley also complimented Ginny, and she'd studied everyone's reaction during the whole time. She had very much noticed that Harry acted a bit different than earlier, but didn't say anything and only let a knowing smile show upon her face. Mr Weasley saw his wives knowing smile and looked at her with a questioning look. Mrs Weasley looked back with a look that meant "I'll tell you later..." Mr Weasley simply shrugged as if to say "All right, later then..."  
  
  
  
Dinner went by without any further surprises, and everyone talked about varying things. Hermione mentioned that she'd pen pal with their fellow Gryffindor Lynn Walsh, who also was to start her fifth year at Hogwarts, and was one of the few who got to know Harry before she knew he was famous. This was because that she, like Harry, didn't know that she was a witch before the day that she got her letter from Hogwarts (A/N: Read my fic "Entering an new world" for the full story). Hence, she didn't know about Harry being one of the most famous wizards of all time. Her family were all pure-blooded wizards, although her dad had an unusually low amount of magical power, and had at first been thought to be a squib. Because of that her family wasn't entirely sure that she would be a witch. She had known that all here two older brothers and her older sister went to some kind of private school, but definitely not that they were wizards and a witch. Her brothers were Michael Walsh, who also had gone in Gryffindor and was friends with Bill and Charlie Weasley, and Kevin Walsh, who would start his seventh year in Hufflepuff and knew Fred, George and their friend Lee Jordan. Her sister, Joanna Walsh, had gone in Rawenclaw. The Walsh family was known for having their children in different houses, but no one in their family had ever been in Slytherin, a thing they were proud of. The mother Kathryn Walsh had been in Rawenclaw and the father Thomas Walsh had been in Hufflepuff. He had been able to work up his magic powers by working hard, a thing appreciated in Hufflepuff. Although, he wasn't as near as powerful as he would've been if not having such low magical powers to start with.  
  
  
  
When finished everyone thanked Mrs Weasley for the good meal. Fred and George had to help cleaning the table. Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione went into the house. Once in Harry and Ron went into Ron's room, while Ginny and Hermione went into Ginny's room. Ron and Hermione had plan that they'd ask Harry and Ginny how they felt about each other.  
  
"Ginny, I've been meaning to ask you about something..." said Hermione once she and Ginny was inside Ginny's room. Ginny looked at her, wondering what it could be this time. This because Ginny had helped Hermione with Ron on different things, something that Ginny herself found amusing since Hermione was older than herself.  
  
"Okay, ask away," said Ginny, expecting to hear something fun about her brother.  
  
"Are you still in love with Harry?" Ginny was a stunned. She hadn't expected this.  
  
"Yes...I guess I still am..." said Ginny, feeling a bit silly for still having hopes for her and Harry. "But why do you ask that?" Ginny thought that Hermione couldn't' have become tired of Ron already.  
  
"Well...I noticed before that both you AND him acted a bit strange when I got here. So I'm beginning to suspect that he likes you." Ginny felt glad that Hermione hadn't grown tired of Ron already (Ginny probably would've become the one who would comfort Ron if she had), and at the same time she felt so incredibly happy because there might still be a chance for her and Harry.  
  
"Oh," Ginny managed to answer after a moment. Hermione looked at her with an questioning look.  
  
"Why did you think I asked?" asked Hermione. Ginny chuckled because of what she herself had thought it was about.  
  
"I thought that you asked because you'd grown tired of Ron." Hermione's eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"What?" Absolutely not! I love Ron!" she exclaimed, with such a force that Ginny first was a bit frightened by her. But after a second or to she began giggling, since Hermione acted as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Sorry, I just happened t think that since..." said Ginny. "...since, well you and Ron don't always agree with each other."  
  
"Yes, we've had our problems," said Hermione. "But I thought you knew that we don't have any problems making up any more..."  
  
"Um... No, actually I don't..." said Ginny curiously. Hermione sighed.  
  
"Okay, I might as well tell you what happened in Ron's room before dinner..."  
  
"Really? What?"  
  
"Calm down! I'll tell you!" Hermione paused, and took a deep breath. "Well, Ron was yet again complaining over Chudley Cannons latest loss..." Ginny rolled her eyes, since everyone in the family had heard Ron complaining over it also. "...I know... And we started arguing, and so we did until we suddenly stopped and...well...started kissing..."  
  
"WHAT?! WITH HARRY IN THE ROOM?!"  
  
"I know, but as a matter of fact by that we'd...eh...forgotten that Harry was in the room... But the worst thing was that we were beginning to lie down on Ron's bed..."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"...Before Harry, probably recovering from a bit of shock, said 'Um...I'm still here...'. At that point Ron and I realised what we were doing, stopped the kissing and sat right up. Although, Harry seemed to be quite cool about it and started laughing. And, well, that's about how we've finished our arguments since Ron and I became a couple. Except for the fact that Harry was in the room..." Ginny now giggled uncontrollably. She had, like Harry, realised the fun in the whole thing. Hermione looked slightly offended when Ginny a while later still hadn't stopped giggling. "It wasn't THAT fun!"  
  
"Tehe! (A/N: How do you write a word for giggling in English anyway?) Oh, yes it was! Especially if you think of the fact that you're going to be prefect this year Tehehehe- What is it, Hermione?" Hermione looked troubled.  
  
"I... I haven't accepted the offer yet..." Ginny was surprised, since, as far as she knew, Hermione wanted to become a prefect more than anyone Ginny knew. Well, perhaps Percy wanted to be it more than Hermione.  
  
"But...why not?" Ginny asked Hermione.  
  
"I... I wanted to ask Ron first... If he doesn't want me to accept the offer I... I won't do it..." Now Ginny realised that Hermione really did love Ron. She loved him so much that she was prepared to give up one of her dreams if he wanted her to. Ginny looked at Hermione with a concerned look.  
  
"You're serious?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, Ron where having his little talk with Harry.  
  
"Harry, I've been meaning to ask you something," said Ron, when the two had entered the room.  
  
"Sure, ask away," said Harry. Ron took a deep breath. Then he looked straight into Harry's eyes.  
  
"Do you like Ginny?"  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"Do. You. Like. Ginny?" By now, the blush that had been present earlier that day, had made its way back to Harry's face. Harry didn't know quite what to answer. Should he tell the truth, deny it, or maybe something in between?  
  
"Um...yeah..." he finally said. Looking down onto the floor. Now harry was prepared to duck, in the event of Ron trying to hit him. Ginny was after all Ron's sister. But Ron didn't try to hit him. Harry looked at Ron, who really didn't look mad at all. Harry got a surprised expression upon his face. Ron sat down on his bed. Harry sat down next to him.  
  
"For how long?" Ron asked, without a trace of anger in his voice.  
  
"Well...I always liked as, well, a friend or something," said Harry. "But the last year or so I've begun to like her more and more. I never told you, but last year before the Yule ball when I had to find a partner for the ball, she was second on the list of girls, closely after Cho." (A/N: *mumbling* Artistic license...)  
  
"You had a list?"  
  
"A list two girls long, Ron."  
  
"Oh...okay..."  
  
"But then I felt that I'd rather have Ginny as friend. Then I saw her earlier today and..."  
  
"...You like being more than friends..." Harry nodded. Then he chuckled.  
  
"You noticed it on how I was acting today, right?"  
  
"Yes. It was pretty obvious."  
  
"Really?" Ron nodded.  
  
"Oh yeah." Now Ron remembered something. Harry thought that Ron would try and hit him now, and prepared to duck. But again, there was no punch from Ron. "But how do you feel about Cho?"  
  
"I dunno. Probably she's out of the picture, if she blame's me for Cedric's death. But if not then... I just don't know... Although, I think Ginny's the winner, seeming how she's changed over the summer. I mean, even Hermione is looking be-" Longer than that Harry didn't get, since Ron now had punched Harry, who hadn't been prepared to duck this time. "OW! Hey, I'm not thinking about hitting on Hermione, so knock it of!" Ron looked ashamed.  
  
"Sorry... Guess I'm a bit overprotective about her..."  
  
"Hermione?"  
  
"Yes, Hermione! Seriously, I didn't hit you THAT hard!"  
  
"Sorry, had to check. If I'd known you that you were that sensitive I wouldn't even have joked about it, which I did just now in case you didn't notice..."  
  
"Sorry, Harry. It's just..." said Ron. "...I mean, I really do love her and I could do everything..."  
  
"Like punching your best friend...." Harry mumbled, but Ron ignored him.  
  
"...To keep her from being taken from me..." Ron took a deep breath. "Well, anyhow, this discussion is supposed to be about you and Ginny, not about me and Mione..."  
  
"Mione?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing, I just haven't heard you call her that before."  
  
"Back to subject, how were you planning to tell Ginny how you feel?"  
  
"Well, I dunno... Haven't really thought about it all that much, but it better be something good... Well, it's still a whole week until school starts, maybe the opportunity will present it self. But how can I be sure she feels the same about me?" Ron stifled a laugh.  
  
"Are you kidding?" he said. "She's been in love with you since before she even began going to Hogwarts!"  
  
"Yeah, but don't you think she's given up, with Cho and all...?`"  
  
"No, not if I know my sister right. Besides, you've been working hard this summer, another reason for her to like you." Harry thought that Ron probably was right. But, he couldn't be sure.  
  
"I dunno, Ron..."  
  
"The only way to know for sure is to ask her, Harry. Or I'll fake a letter from one of her pen pals, asking if she wants to visit." Harry knew that the last part had been a joke, but still he looked at Ron with a sceptical look. "What? It worked for me!" Now Harry couldn't anything but give a chuckle.  
  
"Ron, does Ginny even have any pen pals?" Ron had a mischievous expression on his face (A/N: Not sure about 'mischievous', can't really find a English word).  
  
"You never know, Potter. You never know..." said Ron, adding a smile to his already mischievous expression. Harry and Ron didn't have time to talk further, since there was a knock on the door. "It's open." The door opened and Hermione entered the room.  
  
"Ron, I'm going for a walk and I was wondering if you wanted to join me?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Sure, darling," Ron answered with a smile, since he knew that evening walks with Hermione usually ended nicely. "We'll be back in a while, Harry."  
  
"Okay, I'll unpack some of my things in the meantime," Harry answered. Hermione went out the door, and before Ron also did the same he mouthed "...be back in a LONG while..." to Harry. Harry just smiled, thinking if he and Ginny would be like that if they became a couple.  
  
  
  
"What was that smile on your face at dinner?" Mr Weasley asked Mrs Weasley, when they were alone in the kitchen after dinner. Mrs Weasley had they knowing smile yet again. "Yes, that one."  
  
"You really didn't notice, Arthur?" said Mrs Weasley.  
  
"No, I guess I didn't, Molly."  
  
"When Ginny came out to dinner I studied how you men reacted. And I noticed something."  
  
"And that is...?"  
  
"Oh, nothing...just that I'm thinking that Harry may like Ginny..."  
  
"WHAT?! But...but Ginny's just a little girl!" Mrs Weasley sighed.  
  
"She's fourteen, Arthur. In case you haven't noticed, she's not all that small any more. Our little girl's beginning to grow up."  
  
"Yeah, you right... But are absolutely sure that Harry likes Ginny?"  
  
"Women know these things, Arthur. And if you won't take my word for it, look how they act towards each other the coming week." Mr Weasley just nodded.  
  
  
  
It was a warm summers evening. The sun was setting, drowning everything in a golden orange colour. Ron liked these walks with Hermione, even though they didn't always ended like he would've hoped. Though, Ron didn't mind if it was that way. He just enjoyed be alone with Hermione. Normally Hermione felt the same thing, but now she was worried over how Ron would take her news. They had reached a point were the trail went past a pond. The pond shimmered in yellow, gold, red and orange in the sunset. Now Hermione felt she'd gathered enough courage to tell Ron. She stopped. Ron noticed, and stopped also. He turned to Hermione. Hermione took a deep breath.  
  
"Ron, there's something important that I need to tell you," she said, looking straight into his eyes. Ron suddenly panicked.  
  
"Oh, my God, she's pregnant!" he thought to himself. "Um...wait a minute, you numbskull! You two haven't even had sex yet!" Ron felt very stupid, even though not haven said one word. "Maybe I should say something in response..."  
  
"What is it?" he said, a bit uneasy.  
  
"I've got an offer to become a prefect. I have to send the response tonight."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I thought I'd ask you if you want me to take it. If not, I won't take it." Ron now felt very confused.  
  
"On one hand," he said. "On one hand I now you've always wanted to a prefect. But on the other hand..."  
  
"...On the other hand?"  
  
"...On the other hand it wouldn't be very good for our relationship. I mean, you and I would get a lot less time together and that..."  
  
"We'll solve it," said Hermione, relieved that the biggest problem Ron saw with her becoming a prefect was time.  
  
"How?" said Ron. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Well, for one, I'm sure can put some time away for 'other errands' or something like that..."  
  
"I don't know, what if someone discovers it?"  
  
"Ron, even prefects have time off." Ron didn't look all that convinced.  
  
"Give me one reason why I should agree with you becoming a prefect." Hermione smiled again.  
  
"Well, one good reason is that prefects have private rooms..."  
  
"What does that have to do with anythi- Oh..." said Ron, getting why that was a good reason.  
  
"So..." said Hermione, putting her arms around Ron. "Do you se any more obstacles for me being a prefect?"  
  
"No, no larger obstacles," said Ron, showing I smile that could melt the north pole.  
  
"Good. 'Bout time we made our way home." Ron looked disappointed.  
  
"Already?"  
  
"Yes, I've got a letter to write, in case you've forgotten."  
  
"Oh, yeah, right... Perhaps we can go for a walk tomorrow evening?" The smile had now made its way back into Ron's face.  
  
"Sure, love," said Hermione, and then gave him a kiss. They started walking home whilst the sun was just disappearing below the horizon.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Ok, I wrote wrong before. THIS chapter was a bit heavy on emotions at times.  
  
The pond that Ron and Hermione walks by is something I had in one of my best dreams. You know, that kind of dream that you want to try and continue, because it was so good? That's the kind of dream I had, and this pond was in it. I can't really tell you more, it's kinda personal (i.e. it involves my literal dream girl).  
  
Now when we've got this little introduction over with, we can get to the good stuff. Though, I have to note that the updating rate on this story will be like it has been between the first and second chapter. And so it will be till after chapter 6, when I begin to write directly into English. So please, have patience. Maybe I'll put up some of my HP/Star Trek: The Next Generation crossover-fic chapters in the meantime.  
  
In other new, and this really is other news, I got my "Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"-DVD on Tuesday and I LOVE IT!!!!! Not such a big surprise though, since I love that movie!  
  
Please review, I need the self esteem boost, now that schools staring in a few weeks again and all.  
  
  
  
Emher 


	3. Chapter 3 The week before the journey

A/N: The third chapter's up ahead of schedule! Like four days or something, but still! In my opinion, this is were the story begins to kick of. But that's just me. Plus, I'm biased to these next two chapters ^_^ It's slightly different in tone from the first two, but it's still recognisable.  
  
Disclaimer: J.K. owns Harry, as I sadly don't.  
  
  
  
Chapter 3. The week before the journey  
  
  
  
Harry was awakened by the sound of a loud bang coming from the kitchen, followed by loud curses (no, not the magical kind) over "Those hopeless boys!"  
  
"Guess Gred n' Forge have tested one of their products again..." said Harry sleepily. Ron, who also had woken up, groaned loudly.  
  
"It's the third time this week!" he exclaimed, irritated. "Can't you get any sleep around here for once!" A moment later they heard a furious scream from Ginny's room.  
  
"I, and Hermione it seems, agree with you, Ron."  
  
"I mean, I need my sleep!"  
  
"Especially after coming home so late last night, right?" Ron froze. He looked at Harry, trying to look like he didn't have the slightest idea of what Harry was talking about.  
  
"Don't know what our talking about, Harry..." Harry rolled his eyes.  
  
"Ron, you very much DO know what I'm talking about. I hear you come back late after our walk with Hermione, and t was pretty late." Ron felt a bit disappointed with his sneaking ability. But then he thought of something.  
  
"What's your proof?" Harry smiled, and took up something from the floor. Something Ron recognised.  
  
"This." What Harry was holding was Ron's sweater he'd been wearing the day before. It was full of grass stains. The walk had evidently ended nicely. Ron paled immediately. "Grass stains don't jump on sweater by themselves, eh Ron?"  
  
"Potter, If you'll show that to my mum, I'll kill you." Harry was trying hard not to laugh. He didn't do very well.  
  
"Hahaha! Ron, I'm just teasing! I'm not gonna show this to your mother." Ron looked relieved, and gave laughed.  
  
"Sorry, for even thinking that. It was a little stupid of me."  
  
"Well, I let you think it. Didn't I?"  
  
"Yeah, well I guess you did. I'm gonna go make sure Hermione won't turn Fred and George into toads or something."  
  
"Okay." Ron put on a pair of pant and a T-shirt, and stood up to walk out the door. "Ron?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Maybe you should...um...leave this to Hermione. It fell out of one of the pockets on your sweater." Harry gave Ron something that looked suspiciously much like the scarf Hermione had worn the day before, only with some grass stains on it. Ron took it, swallowed hard, and walked out the door.  
  
  
  
*Start Flashback story-telling*  
  
  
  
It was four days since Harry arrived at the Burrow. When Ron came home from the walk with Hermione, when she told him about the offer, he'd told Harry about it. When Ron finished Harry came to the same conclusion that Ginny had. "Hermione must really love Ron if she let him decide," Harry had thought.  
  
  
  
The following day everyone, except Mr Weasley and Percy who had to work, went out for a picnic. The weather had been sunny and not a single cloud was visible on the sky. While walking they talked about different things. Ginny was actually talking quite a bit. Harry was used to her being this quite girl, being quite or not talking all that much around him, so it came as a bit of a surprise. Although, it was a nice one. Harry just thought it was nice to talk to her, he didn't choke like he did when trying to talk to Cho. Ron and Hermione went, not all that unexpected, by themselves a bit behind the others. Harry chuckled when he saw them. Ginny looked at him with an asking look.  
  
"What's so funny?" she asked Harry.  
  
"Those two," he answered and nodded towards Ron and Hermione. "It couldn't be more obvious that they were in love even if they stamped it on their foreheads."  
  
"I see what you mean..." Then Ginny looked at Harry in a way that he couldn't quite decide what it meant, only that it was something kind (A/N: Ok, I was going to write something waaaayy more fluffy here, but I changed my mind at last minute. Thank God). Harry just smile back at her. He felt that he absolutely started to like Ginny more than he had before.  
  
"Is anymore than I hungry?" asked George. They thought and yeah, guess they were hungry. So they sat down under a big oak, with just the right amount of shadow. It was just at the edge of a field with high grass. Mrs Weasley opened they picnic basket and gave everyone a sandwich each. Ron and Hermione went to the other side of the tree and sat to be alone.  
  
"Ickle Ronnikins and his girlfriend is going round the tree..." said Fred.  
  
"...To make out, no doubt about it," said George.  
  
"Shut up," they heard Ron's voice say. Though, Fred and George were probably right. Harry was just about to take the first bite of his sandwich, when a scream was heard form the side of the tree. He immediately got to his feet and ran to the other side of the tree, closely followed by Ginny, Fred, George and Mrs Weasley. When they got round the tree they saw Ron, rolling on the grass a few yards from the tree.  
  
"What?" Harry asked Hermione, who stood by the tree, looking slightly pale. She shook her head.  
  
"I...I don't know..." she said. "We were just sitting, leaned against the tree, and he just screamed and started rolling on the grass..." Now Ron stopped rolling around, took out something from under his sweater, and threw as far as he possibly could. He then turned towards the others, looking very pale.  
  
"Spider... a HUGE, HAIRY spider crawled in under my shirt..." he said. The others immediately looked relieved. "It's serious! I hate the bloody spiders!"  
  
"Yeah, we know, Ron. But you screamed like you were going to die or some-" said Harry, but Ron interrupted him.  
  
"IT WAS HUGE!" Now Hermione had a very hard time, trying not to giggle. Ron noticed. "Oh, you think this is funny?" A hint of a smile showed on his face. "I'll get you for fun!" Ron started running towards the now loudly giggling Hermione, who sat of as fast as she could into the field. After about forty yards Ron caught up with Hermione, and threw himself on her. Once on the ground he started tickling her.  
  
"Come on, let's go back round the tree," said Harry to the others. Ginny looked curiously at Harry.  
  
"Why?" she asked. Harry smiled.  
  
"'Cause they'll probably want to be alone in about five seconds."  
  
"Oh." Harry, Ginny, Fred, George and Mrs Weasley went back around the tree.  
  
  
  
They all sat and talked for a long while, therefore they didn't notice that dark clouds were filling the sky. Ron and Hermione would have noticed this, but they were lying comfortably in each others arms on the grassy field, eyes closed, and with smiles on their faces. Hermione was just starting to wall asleep, when a raindrop fell upon her forehead. She opened her eyes, saw the dark sky, and sat straight up. Although, the seemingly sleeping Ron had another idea and quickly pulled her down again.  
  
"Ron?" Hermione asked impatiently.  
  
A "Hmm?" came from Ron.  
  
"There's nothing more I'd like to do than to lie here, but..."  
  
"But what?" Ron still hadn't opened his eyes. Then the sound of distant thunder reached their ears, and almost immediately it started raining. Ron's eyes went wide open. Hermione sighed.  
  
"That's why, Ron..." The both got up and started running towards the tree. "Ron, what are you doing?! A tree is the LAST place you want to be under if there's thunder!"  
  
"Hermione, the others are under the tree..."  
  
"Oh...yeah, right...the others..." She started running after Ron. Once at the tree the others had already packed everything.  
  
"Hold on, I'll do a drying charm so we won't get wet," said Hermione. The others looked surprised. "What?"  
  
"Eh...Hermione?" said Harry.  
  
"Yes, Harry?"  
  
"We're not supposed to do any magic away from Hogwarts..."  
  
"Oh...right..." For Harry this was the ultimate proof of Ron's influence over Hermione: she'd forgotten a rule, if only for a little while.  
  
"Well, I don't have to worry yet, it's not like she's stopped going to the library. Then I would be REALLY worried!" Harry thought, showing a slight smile."  
  
"But...can't you just tell it to mum, and she'll do it?" said Ron.  
  
"No, we can't do that," said Mrs Weasley. The other looked at her with surprised looks.  
  
"Why not?" said Ginny. Mrs Weasley now looked a bit troubled.  
  
"Because I forgot the wand at home," she answered. "Besides, It's not like I thought we'd need it." All the teenagers sighed, all at the same time.  
  
"Okay, how far is it back to the house?" asked Harry.  
  
"About 2 miles," said Mrs Weasley. The teenagers sighed again.  
  
"Well, I always have liked hot chocolate," said Harry. "We'll probably need some of that when we get back...". Everyone took their stuff and started running home in the heavy rain.  
  
  
  
Once home Mrs Weasley performed a drying spell on them all. Then they got a blanket each to wrap themselves in, and Mrs Weasley made some hot chocolate. They looked a bit funny, all wrapped in blankets of different colours and sizes. Ron and Hermione naturally shared a blanket. Harry thought a bit how he and Ginny would look if they also shared a blanket. What Harry didn't know was that Ginny was thinking the same thing.  
  
  
  
The next day it still was raining, so everyone stayed inside. Hermione went ballistic when she discovered that Ron wasn't finished with his homework for the summer yet, and forced to do them.  
  
"Ron, if you don't do your homework I'll never speak to you again!" said Hermione, a very decisive tone in her voice. Though, this didn't make Ron feel bad, but instead he smiled.  
  
"Now, now, Hermione, there is other things you do when you're a couple..." he said.  
  
"Ron, when I say I'll never speak to you again, that includes EVERYTHING you do when you're a couple!" Ron's smile quickly died out. Later Harry thought that he'd never seen a person do homework with such dedication that Ron did that day.  
  
  
  
The next day went by without any major problems, except when Fred and George tested some products in the morning, causing the whole house to wake up. Their punish: cleaning ALL the windows of the house and, especially because they were not allowed to, without magic.  
  
  
  
They following day passed without anything major happened. But that changed at dinner.  
  
"Kids, tomorrow we're going to Diagon Alley. We leave at ten a.m.," said Mr Weasley, getting the youngsters all excited. After dinner Harry and Ron went up to Ron's room.  
  
"Harry, do you what Fred and George has planned?" Ron asked after he closed the door.  
  
"What do you mean planned?" Harry said.  
  
"Well, they said something about a surprise for me when we came to Diagon Alley. Do you have an idea of what it is?" Harry knew what it was. On the train back from Hogwarts Harry had given Fred and George the one thousand galleons (A/N: Correct if I'm wrong on this one, don't know all the English words for HP...) he won in the Triwizard Tournament. He had got them to promise that they would use some of it to buy a new dress robe for Ron, since his old mostly looked like a ladies dress.  
  
"But I think Ron is gonna get to know that tomorrow," thought Harry.  
  
"Don't have the slightest idea of what you're talking about, Ron," said Harry, but he didn't look all that convincing. Ron looked at him suspiciously.  
  
"It was your idea, wasn't it?" said Ron. "Whatever it is, it was your idea, right?" Harry tried to look totally innocent, which had the same effect on him as on Fred and George earlier: he only looked guiltier.  
  
"Don't know what you're talking about..." he said anyway. Ron realised that Harry wasn't going to tell him what it was.  
  
"Fine, don't tell me then. But I promise that if it's something that I'm gonna suffer by, you've got to hide pretty well, Potter." And with that Ron gave up the matter. For now at least.  
  
A while later Hermione came and asked if Ron wanted to go on a walk. Ron naturally agreed to this. When Ron didn't come back for a while Harry lay down to sleep, only to be waked by Ron sneaking back in to the room. Harry lay with his face away from Ron, so Ron didn't notice that he was awake. Then Harry heard Ron change to go to bed, and soon a sweater and a pair of pants came flying over Harry, landing on a chair (No, not by magic, Ron threw them there). When Harry was sure Ron was asleep he picked up Ron's sweater. It was full of grass stains. Harry smiled.  
  
"Guess the walk ended nicely," he thought. He then lay back the sweater on the chair, and went back to sleep.  
  
  
  
*End Flashback story-telling*  
  
  
  
Now Ron came back into the room. Harry had just dressed, and now looked at Ron.  
  
"So?" Harry asked.  
  
"What do mean 'so'?" said Ron.  
  
"Did you manage to stop Hermione from turning Fred and George into toads?"  
  
"Yeah, but only because mom got to them first."  
  
"What?!" said Harry, his eyes wide. "She turned them into toads?"  
  
"No," said Ron. "I said that mom got to them first, not that she turned into toads."  
  
"Oh, okay." said Harry. "But what was the punishment then?" Now Ron smiled.  
  
"They are to carry all our things we're going to buy today, and they can't go of by themselves while in Diagon Alley." Now Harry got a bit nervous. This meant that Fred and George couldn't buy the new dress robe for Ron as promised. Ron saw the slight change in Harry's expression. "What?"  
  
"N.nothing." said Harry. "Gotta go ask Hermione something." Harry stood up.  
  
"Ask her about what?" said Ron, looking suspiciously at Harry.  
  
"Ron, once again: I'm not trying to hit on Hermione. So cut it out, okay?"  
  
"That wasn't what I meant," said Ron. "I said last night and I'll say it again: if it's something I'm gonna."  
  
".Suffer by I'll have to hide pretty well," said Harry, who was getting a bit tired of Ron being so enormously curious of the surprise. "Relax, it's nothing bad. Besides, if I tried to humiliate you in some way, do you really think I'd co-operate with your girlfriend on it?" Ron didn't answer, but Harry knew he got the point. Harry went out of the room to find Hermione. He found her, Ginny, Fred, George, Percy and Mr Weasley down in the kitchen, sitting round the kitchen table having breakfast. Mrs Weasley was standing at the stove, making the last of the breakfast.  
  
"Morning everyone," said Harry.  
  
"Morning, Harry," said the others almost at the same time.  
  
"Hermione, could I talk to you about something?" Harry asked.  
  
"Sure," she said, not standing up.  
  
"It's kind of a secret, so could you."  
  
"Oh, okay, sure." She got up and followed Harry out of the kitchen, looking at Harry with a questioning look. As soon as they were out of listening distance of the kitchen, Harry turned towards Hermione.  
  
"We've got a little problem, Hermione," said Harry.  
  
"Oh?" said Hermione. "What problem?"  
  
"Well, you know that I gave Fred and George the prize money from the Triwizard Tournament," said Harry. He had told her about it in a letter a few week or so after it happened.  
  
"Yes." said Hermione.  
  
"I got them to promise to buy a new dress robe for Ron." Harry saw on Hermione's expression that she remembered Ron's dress robe clearly.  
  
"Good, it certainly is needed." said Hermione.  
  
"Yes, we all remember that one." said Harry.  
  
"Exactly," said Hermione. "But what does that have to do with this?"  
  
"Well, Fred and George were supposed to buy it today," said Harry. "But now they can't do that because they're not allowed to go of but themselves. That's were you come in."  
  
"It is?" said Hermione.  
  
"Yes," said Harry. "You and me have to ask Fred and George about money, so that you and Ginny can go of and buy a dress robe. I can't do it since Ron's going to go with me once we're in Diagon Alley. Besides, You have better taste in clothes than me." Hermione looked a bit flattered by the last part.  
  
"When do we ask the about the money?" said Hermione.  
  
"After breakfast," said Harry.  
  
"Okay," said Hermione. "Come one, let's go and eat." The went back into the kitchen, were now Ron also was sitting at the kitchen table. Everyone looked at Harry and Hermione with questioning looks. "We're not telling, so don't even start asking." The others gave up the idea of getting something out of Hermione, since they knew how decisive she could be, and wouldn't change her mind. Harry and Hermione sat down at the table and ate their breakfast.  
  
  
  
After breakfast ell the teenagers went up the stairs to their rooms to get ready. Fred and George went into their room. Harry and Hermione clanged at each other.  
  
"I'll be right back." they both said at once, and started going towards the twins room. Ron and Ginny looked at each other with questioning looks, then just shrugged and went into their rooms. Once they had closed their doors Hermione knocked on the twins door. It didn't open. Hermione got a slightly panicked expression, her eyes wide.  
  
"Duck!" she called, and threw herself on the floor dragging Harry with her. Then nothing happened.  
  
"Look, Hermione, I'm flattered and all, but don't you think tha-" said Harry jokingly, but stopped when Hermione nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. A moment later a small cloud which had a for Harry familiar blue colour, sprayed out of a small hole in the door. Once the cloud had disappeared Harry and Hermione stood up again.  
  
"That's why we ducked, Harry, so don't go getting any ideas," she said, her voice a teasing tone at the last part. "I got that colour on me about a week ago. Took me the rest of the day to get rid of it. They use as some kind of anti-intruder device."  
  
"They must've tested it on the car the other day," said Harry. "I recognised the blue colour."  
  
"Wouldn't surprise me the least," said Hermione. "Let's try again." Hermione knocked once again. George opened the door. They knew that it was George since Fred sat at his table writing what seemed to be a letter. Well, that and the big G on the shirt.  
  
"What?" asked George irritably. "We're busy!"  
  
"We need to talk to you," said Hermione decidedly. "It's about a promise you made to Harry." George arched an eyebrow, but let them into the room and closed the door.  
  
"What promise?" said George.  
  
"You promised me before that you'd buy a new dress robe for Ron," said Harry.  
  
"Well, that's pretty problematic now," said George. "Since we have to carry things for everybody today."  
  
"I know, but we have a solution," said Harry. "If you just give enough money to Hermione, she-"  
  
"To Hermione?" said George. "Why?"  
  
"What? you don't trust me?" said Hermione, pretending to be hurt.  
  
"Of course we do," said George. "But we'd like to know why should take the money."  
  
"Because Harry can't take them since he's going to be with Ron today," said Hermione, slightly ticked at George's lack of brain. "Therefore, I and Ginny will go and buy the dress robe."  
  
"Oops...didn't think about that..." said George, cursing his apparent lack of brain. "It's all right, wait a moment and I'll give you the money." He went over to a corner and did something that neither Harry nor Hermione could see. He then turned around, holding a little bag, which he gave to Hermione. "There you go, should be enough. But remember that you got to know Ron's measurements."  
  
"No problem, I can get that," said Hermione. Harry and George looked at her, seemingly surprised. "I read it in a book." Harry and George's ceased being surprised. Harry moved towards Fred, trying to see what he was writing.  
  
"What're you writing, Fred?" he asked, and in the same moment he saw the headline. Fred started, and quickly hid the paper.  
  
"Nothing, and you shouldn't snoop around in other peoples business!" Fred snapped.  
  
"One of you giving a lecture about not snooping around..." said Hermione. "That's one thing I thought I'd never hear..." Harry on the other hand had a light smile, since he'd seen the headline, and Fred's reaction to him seeing it was quite funny in light of that.  
  
"Okay, I get the point. I won't ask again," said Harry, and then turned to Hermione, who looked at him with a questioning look. "Come on, we better get ready." They went out of the room. A soon as the door had closed Hermione turned to Harry.  
  
"Now I've got to know. What was Fred writing?" she asked curiously. "I know you saw what it was, or otherwise you wouldn't be having that smile." Harry smiled again. "Yes, that smile."  
  
"Well...I only saw the headline, but it was enough," said Harry. "Especially 'cause of the way Fred reacted to my question!"  
  
"And the headline was...?" said Hermione, bursting with curiosity.  
  
"It was 'Dearest Angelina'," said Harry. "Clearly Fred and Angelina are much closer than we other Gryffindors have thought." Now Hermione was giggling uncontrollably.  
  
"Tehehe! Wait 'til I tell Ginny! Tehehehehe!" Hermione now entered Ginny's room.  
  
"What? What is it?" Harry heard Ginny say, before the door closed behind Hermione.  
  
"Ron's gonna want to know this," Harry thought and entered Ron's room.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: I know what you're asking yourselves: Is EVERYONE in this fic getting paired up?! And the answer is: of course not! There will be lots of singles in this story too, wouldn't be any fun otherwise ^_^  
  
Now, how the **** do you write a giggling sound? Is my version "Tehe" good, or is it just silly? Wait a second that didn't come out well...since giggling indicates something silly or funny, this must be also...hm...  
  
Oh, I bought this truly GREAT anime movie last week. It's called "Escaflowne: The Movie". It's a really good Fantasy/Sci-Fi movie. If you haven't seen it, at least rent it of borrow it from someone. And if you like anime, just buy it now! If you buy the "Ultimate Edition" DVD (like I did) you get the absolutely wonderful soundtrack also (plus some special features). The box on the movie say that's it's rated PG-13, but I really think it's a R movie, 'cause there was some pretty graphic violence in it. But if you've seen like "Ghost in the Shell" and "Akira", you can handle it easily.  
  
And thank you to my reviewers, making this to my most appreciated fic! You guys rock! Here's a list thanking everyone from the beginning:  
  
Chapter 1:  
  
Jessika Organa Solo - I agree with you 100%. When I fall in love with a girl (and I mean REALLY in love) I really do love her. So I guess parents have forgotten it a bit.  
  
HarryPotHead - Ha ha, fun name. Thank you, guess I'm not making a total ass of myself when translating then ^_^ Well, that's what I thought to, so it was the only logical thing to do.  
  
Leah Danielle - Thank you for appreciating my work!  
  
  
  
Chapter 2:  
  
dragonlover87 - No kidding! Though, this year seems to be a lot of fun. Except for the fact that I have to get up at 5.20 a.m. on Tuesdays... But, it's the last year of High School, so it's kind sad at the same time... Was ten days soon enough? I'm sorry for taking so long, but were halfway there now! Only three chapter of slow updating left!  
  
KellyBelly - Thanks for the tip about the anonymous reviews, really appreciate it.  
  
harypotrfan - Your review is one of the most positive ones so far! Of course I'll finish it, it may take a while, but I swear that I WILL FINISH IT!!!! *discovers that I called the last part out loud, making every in the room stare at me. I hunch back down into the chair* Well, you get the point...  
  
kokuro - Also a one of the most positive ones! Thank you!  
  
LilDoodle - Thank you, it's supposed to be cute (well, at first anyway)! Of course I'll read your story! I'm sorry I haven't done it yet, but I've been real busy with school 'n all.  
  
  
  
Everyone only posted only one review each though...wee bit mad...kidding. But it would be really nice if you posted some more reviews!  
  
The following chapters there's only going to be thanks to the reviewers of the previous chapter, so keep on reviewing if you want to be thanked!  
  
I'm thinking of starting a fun little thing, in which every reviewer will say his or her favourite movie. I'll go first: My favourite movie is Forrest Gump. Now, some people don't like it that much, but I can't help but loving it! So please say your favourite movie in the review.  
  
And if you haven't reviewed yet at all, then remember that I also accept anonymous reviews! So...review! Click the little button down to the left!  
  
  
  
Emher 


	4. Chapter 4 A shopping round in Diagon All...

A/N: I'm sorry it took a while, but this chapter was longer than the last one. Now they're finally getting out of the Burrow for a day and going shopping! Enjoy!  
  
  
  
Chapter 4. A shopping round in Diagon Alley  
  
  
  
After Ron also had heard about Fred's letter, everyone went downstairs to get going. Fred and George glanced quickly at Harry and Hermione when they went down the stairs. Luckily Ron didn't notice.  
  
"He'd probably get more grumpy than before," Harry thought. "But still, we'll se how he reacts later on when gets to see the surprise." Now Mr Weasley entered the room.  
  
"Everyone ready?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, dad," said Ron, Ginny, Fred and George.  
  
"Yes, Mr Weasley," said Harry and Hermione. Mr Weasley went up to the fireplace.  
  
"Ron, you go first," he said. Ron went up to the fireplace, took some floo powder out of a flower pot, and threw it into the flames. The fire immediately turned emerald green, with tall flames. Ron stepped into the flames.  
  
"Diagon Alley!" he said loud and clear. The flames became even higher, and then went down again, taking Ron with them. Hermione started before reminding herself that it was normal, and that her boyfriend hadn't vaporised.  
  
"Who next?" said Mr Weasley.  
  
"Me," said Hermione.  
  
"Do you think you can make it," said Mr Weasley. "I mean, after what happened before, wo-"  
  
"It's going to go fine, Mr Weasley," said Hermione. "I know what went wrong that time. Harry remembered that Ron told him in a letter that last time Hermione had used the floo network, she'd ended up somewhere in Liverpool. Now Hermione walked up to the fireplace, took some powder from the pot, three it into the flames, and then stepped into the fireplace.  
  
"Diagon Alley!" she said with the same decisive voice she used when telling someone that she'd wouldn't change her mind about something.  
  
"As if it would work talking strictly to the flames..." Harry thought, and at the same moment the flames took Hermione with them.  
  
"Who's next?" asked Mr Weasley.  
  
"I'll go," said Harry, taking his glasses of and putting them in his pocket, remembering the first time he used the floo network. That time his Glasses had broken and Mr Weasley had fixed the glasses which had shattered when landed on the floor of the destination. Now Harry went up to the fireplace, took some powder, threw it into the flames, and stepped into them.  
  
"Diagon Alley!" he said as loud and clear he possibly could with all the soot from the fire in his mouth. The flames took Harry with them, and Harry felt them familiar spinning sensation, and the loud noise present in his ears. He kept his eyes closed because he felt that if he didn't, he wouldn't be able keep his breakfast. Suddenly the noise stopped and Harry opened his eyes just in time to see an stone floor approach. He hit the floor with a loud thud.  
  
"I really gotta remember to open my eyes a little sooner next time..." Harry said, while getting up from the stone floor.  
  
"Harry? You all right?" said a familiar voice. Harry put on his glasses, and saw that is was Ron who'd spoken to him.  
  
"Yeah, Ron, I feel fine. Managed to keep my glasses in one piece this time at least," said Harry. He looked around, discovering that he was at The Leaky Cauldron. But he didn't se Hermione anywhere. "Where's Hermione?" Ron looked surprised.  
  
"Hermione?" he said.  
  
"Yeah, she went just before me," said Harry. "Must've landed somewhere else." Ron looked worried. Now green flames erupted from the fireplace, and Harry turned around just in time to catch Ginny, making them both fall down on the floor. Harry was so surprised that he just lied there with, the after the trip dizzy, Ginny in his arms. Not that he complained. Now Ginny cleared her head a bit.  
  
"I really shouldn't have eaten that last sandwich..." she mumbled to herself. Now she looked up, discovering that she'd been caught by Harry, who know got a light red colour on his face. Which by the way, was about three inches from hers. Ginny blushed also.  
  
"Um...hi, Ginny..." said Harry.  
  
"Hi, Harry..." said Ginny. In about one and a half second both Harry and Ginny had got up of the floor, standing looking down upon their feet. Ron found the whole thing extremely amusing, but didn't say anything. Now Ginny looked around the room, and then at Ron. "Where's Hermione?"  
  
"Don't know," said Ron, again being worried. "She's not here in anyway..."  
  
"BZZZT! Wrong answer, Mr Weasley. Would you like another try?" said a voice. Harry, Ron and Ginny turned to were the voice was coming from. There stood Hermione, with even bushier hair than usual. Ron immediately looked extremely happy, ran up to Hermione, and threw his arms round her. "So, you missed me that much?" said Hermione.  
  
"Yup," said Ron, smiling.  
  
"The 'Wrong answer, Mr Weasley' thing was great," said Harry, grinning. Ron looked questioningly at Hermione.  
  
"Muggle thing..." explained Hermione.  
  
"Oh, okay," said Ron. "But where did you end up?"  
  
"In that Quidditch store, you know," said Hermione.  
  
"Quality Quidditch Supplies?" said Ron.  
  
"Yes, that's the one," said Hermione. "Anyway, I ended up there and-"  
  
"Did they have anything new?" said Ron. Hermione now looked at Ron with a slightly mad look, since he seemed to care more about some stores products than his girlfriends well-being. Ron quickly realised his mistake. "Oops. Sorry."  
  
"I'll let you go this time," said Hermione. "Anyway I got here as quickly as I knew were I was."  
  
"It's good that you're okay," said Ron. Now Mr Weasley came through the fireplace, landing on the floor, though on his feet, not his nose as in Harry's case.  
  
"Everybody all right?" Mr Weasley asked. Everyone was okay. Then the rest of the group, Fred, George Mrs Weasley came through the fireplace, one at a time. Then the whole group went out to the backyard. Mr Weasley went up to a wall and tapped a few bricks with is wand, opening the wall into a gateway. On the other side of the gateway there was long street with shops and lots of people. There was especially many children and teenagers together with their parents. It seemed like a normal day just before the start of school in Diagon Alley. But now Harry came to think of something. He looked at Hermione with a questioning look. She knew what Harry meant.  
  
"A wizard going to the inn let me through," she said. Harry was satisfied with the answer. The group went through the gateway. "I wonder if we'll meet someone you know?"  
  
"Hope so, it would be fun to see them. Except-" said Harry, but was interrupted.  
  
"But if it isn't Potty, Weasel and mudblood? I should have expected to see you here..." drawled the person that Harry had hoped they wouldn't run in to. Draco Malfoy. Harry clenched his fists to resist the urge to punch Malfoy right were he stood. Mr and Mrs Weasley didn't see any of this, since they were standing window-shopping a bit from the teenagers.  
  
"Malfoy," said Harry, not trying to hide the hate in his voice, and also giving Malfoy a equally hateful look. Malfoy wasn't any worse. Hermione felt the situation was about to become ugly, and put a hand on Harry's shoulder.  
  
"He's not worth it, Harry," she said. Harry felt that Hermione was right, and turned to go.  
  
"So, your mudblood friend has to save, Potter? Can't even do that for yourself..." drawled Malfoy. Now he saw that Ron and Hermione held hands. He almost unnoticeably arched an eyebrow. "So, it's you two now? How will those poor children look...?" Now Ron couldn't hold it any more and clenched his fists, preparing to attack Malfoy. But Hermione stopped him. She look with a decisive look straight into Malfoys steel grey eyes.  
  
"Go away, you annoying little ferret," she said. Hermione knew that Malfoy didn't like to be reminded of the time he'd been turned into a ferret in one of the school corridors.  
  
"You just wait..." Malfoy mumbled and walked of as fast as he could from the laughing teenagers.  
  
"Couldn't have done it better myself, Hermione!" said George.  
  
"Yeah, that was classic!" said Fred.  
  
"Stop, stop! You're embarrassing me!" said Hermione, pretending to blush.  
  
"Let's hope we'll meet someone nicer from school," said Ginny.  
  
"Agree with you on that, sis," said Ron. Now Mr and Mrs Weasley came back. They all decided to go to Gringotts to get some money, and Hermione was going to exchange her muggle money.  
  
  
  
Once Hermione was done it was time to go down to the vaults so that Harry and the Weasley's could get some money. But Hermione stopped a few feet from the cart used to get down to the vaults. Harry and Ron stopped also, wondering why Hermione had stopped.  
  
"Eh. You go, I'll stay here." she said. Ron got a confused expression on his face.  
  
"Why?" he asked.  
  
"Well, I've never liked roller-coasters," said Hermione. "And I don't expect this do be much different from one of those."  
  
"Herm, it's okay. It's completely safe," said Harry, though he doubted the last part himself. "But I can understand if you don't like it. When I went here with Hagrid before my first year, he became a bit sick of the ride."  
  
"Really? Hagrid?" said Ron, surprised.  
  
"Yeah," said Harry. Then he smiled. "But I think you'll do fine, Herm. With a little help from Ron, that is."  
  
"What do yo- Oh." said Hermione, realising what Harry meant. Ron on the other hand hadn't, looking like a live question mark.  
  
"What?" What help from me?" he said.  
  
"Well, you could help her during the ride." said Harry. Alas, Ron still just didn't get it.  
  
"Huh? What are you talking about?" he said. Now Hermione decided to act, and pulled Ron close to her.  
  
"You are a bit slow sometimes, hm?" she said, a warm and friendly tone in her voice. "Harry means that you can hold me during the ride."  
  
"Oh." said Ron, feeling a bit stupid 'cause he wasn't the one who came up with the idea. Now Hermione dragged Ron into the cart, and sat leaning against him, her eyes closed.  
  
"Just tell me when we're there," she said. "Then this will go just fine." Ron didn't seem to have any objections, and showed a light smile. When everybody was seated the cart started moving.  
  
  
  
They first arrived at the Weasley's vault. Mr and Mrs Weasley went out of the cart, and got their vault opened. They went into it and scraped up some of the money in the corners.  
  
"That should be enough," said Mrs Weasley. They closed they vault, got back in the cart, and went on to Harry's vault. Once their Harry got out by himself, feeling a bit ashamed because he had so much more money in his vault. He took about as much as he counted on spending this year, then got his vault closed and got back into the cart. Whilst going up through the tunnels, Harry looked upon Ron and Hermione, sitting closely together. Harry got a mental image of himself and Ginny sitting closely together in the same way.  
  
"Harry? You awake?" said Ron, interrupting his daydream.  
  
"Hm? What?" said Harry.  
  
"It's to get out of the cart, Harry," said Ron. Now Harry discovered that the cart had stopped at the entrance, and that everyone else had already gotten out.  
  
"Okay, I'm coming. said Harry, and got out of the cart. They went out of Gringotts. Once out they decided to meet outside Flourish & Blotts in a hour and a half to get books. They divided into three groups: Mr and Mrs Weasley, Fred and George (to carry things), Harry and Ron, and Hermione and Ginny. This way Ron thought that he had Harry under control, therefore no unwelcome surprise.  
  
  
  
"How do you know Ron's measurements?" said Ginny. She and Hermione was on their way to Madam Malkin's to buy Ron's dress robe.  
  
"Well, I was going to buy something to him anyway," said Hermione. "So I got them the other night."  
  
"Without him noticing?" said Ginny.  
  
"I got them during on of our walks," said Hermione.  
  
"Well, that explains it." said Ginny. Now they had reached Madam Malkin's, and went in. Once inside Madam Malkin herself met them.  
  
"What might I help you two young ladies with?" she asked them.  
  
"We would like to buy a dress robe," said Hermione.  
  
"And who of shall wear it?" said Madam Malkin.  
  
"Oh, it's not for us, but for my boyfriend. I have his measurements here," said Hermione and gave the note with Ron's measurements to Madam Malkin. She scanned through it, and then looked at Hermione. "Are they all there?"  
  
"Yes," said Madam Malkin. "But there's one other thing that's missing."  
  
"What?" said Hermione.  
  
"How does he look, your boyfriend?" said Madam Malkin. "What hair- and eye colour?"  
  
"Weeeell, he's got this fiery red, cute hair and really dreamy brown eyes." Now Hermione had a dreaming expression upon her face, seeming a bit absent. After a few second of awkward silence Ginny prodded Hermione, making her snap back to reality from "Ron *Heart* Hermione-land". Hermione composed herself quickly. ".But.um, why do you need to know that?"  
  
"To match the colour right, dear," said Madam Malkin.  
  
"Okay, just don't use anything maroon," said Hermione. "He hates maroon."  
  
"I think we'll make do anyway," said Madam Malkin. "Now, let's get started."  
  
  
  
Meanwhile Ron and Harry were at Quality Quidditch Supplies, looking at the new products. Among others things there was a new, improved, faster (and more expensive, of course) broomstick in the Firebolt-series: the Firebolt V. Harry and Ron was standing there, admiring from the other side of the glass for a long while. There wasn't a single flaw on it, and it was even more streamlined than Harry's Firebolt.  
  
"Wow." Ron finally managed to get out.  
  
"You can say that again." said Harry.  
  
"Wow." said Ron. "How much does it cost?"  
  
"Too much," said Harry. "Let's just hope that the Slytherin's don't have this model. 'Cause if they do.bye, bye, Quidditch cup."  
  
"Don't worry, Harry," said Ron. "Besides, they don't have Flint any more as a capten. And without his dirty tricks, maybe they won't do so good."  
  
"I hope your right." said Harry." After looking through the store a bit more, they discovered that one and a half hours soon had passed. They went out of the store to go meet the others.  
  
  
  
"There, now it's ready," said Madam Malkin, giving the finished dress robe to Hermione. Both Hermione and Ginny grinned broadly when seeing the dress robe.  
  
"Perfect!" said Hermione. She then put the little bag with money on the counter. "That should cover it." Madam Malkin opened the bag, and her eyes went wide.  
  
"Oh my! Yes, young lady, this covers it all right," she said. "This is far more than needed. Here's the change." Madam Malkin gave the back to Hermione, having taking what she needed.  
  
"Thank you very much for you help," said Hermione. "Good bye!"  
  
"Just doing my job, dear," said Madam Malkin. "Good bye, and have a nice day!" Now Hermione and Ginny went out of the store, and started walking to meet the others.  
  
  
  
Harry and Ron had now reached Flourish & Blotts, but no one else had arrived yet. When they where standing there waiting, Harry heard someone calling for him.  
  
"'Arry! 'Arry Potter!" called the person who Harry still couldn't see, but he knew who it was. He turned towards were the voice was coming from.  
  
"Fleur!" he said. And quite right, it was Fleur Delacour who had called after him. 'Great, how's Ron gonna react now." Harry thought for himself, remembering how Ron had reacted towards Fleur last year due to her veela heritage. Bu Harry decided to ignore the problem for now, hoping it would solve itself.  
  
"What are you doing in Diagon Alley?" said Harry.  
  
"I 'ad buy some zings for my new job. I deed graduate from school zis spring, you know," said Fleur, who now had reached Harry and Ron. "And 'ow are you?"  
  
"Doing just fine, said Harry. "And you?"  
  
"Never bezzer," said Fleur. "You're 'ear to buy zings for school, right?"  
  
"Yeah, that's right," said Ron. "We're just waiting for the others to get here." Harry glanced at Ron. He actually seemed unaffected by Fleur this time.  
  
"Oh, who are you 'ere with?" said Fleur.  
  
"Well, my family is here too," said Ron. "And..."  
  
"If you say some other name than mine you're in big trouble, Ronald Weasley!" said Hermione, hugging Ron from behind. Ron immediately showed a broad smile.  
  
"As a matter of fact I was going to say your name," said Ron. "So you don't have to be worried."  
  
"Good," said Hermione. Now she noticed that Fleur was there, and tightened her embrace around Ron, as if to stop him from moving. "Hello, Fleur."  
  
"'Ello! 'Ermione, right?" said Fleur.  
  
"Yes, that's right," said Hermione. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"She's buying some stuff for her new job, Mione," said Ron, who now was beginning to feel that Hermione's rather tight embrace was getting a bit uncomfortable. He turned his head to face Hermione. "Um...honey? Could loosen the hug a bit? I'm getting circulatory problems..." Hermione let go, but stayed watchful towards Fleur. Now Mr and Mrs Weasley arrived at the scene, followed by Freda and George who was carrying lots of things. They clearly looked suffering. George seemed to cheer up a bit upon seeing Fleur, but Fred seemed as tormented as before. Mr and Mrs Weasley said hello to Fleur and stood an talked a while. Fleur told them that she was to buy books too, and then be done for the day, so they decided to keep company. When they entered the store Fleur and Harry went last  
  
"So, Ron and 'Ermione are togezer now?" said Fleur quietly. Harry chuckled.  
  
"What tipped you of?" said Harry jokingly. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Oh, I just thought zat she and Viktor Krum was..." said Fleur.  
  
"Well, this is how it went," said Harry. "Hermione got a letter from Krum, were he invited her to stay with him for a few weeks in Bulgaria, and she told Ron about it in a letter. As soon as he read it I guess he got some kind of panic-attack, hurried over to her house, proclaimed his love for her. And, well, the rest is history."  
  
"Ah... Zat explains it..." said Fleur. "We girls are suckers for zat kind of zing..."  
  
  
  
Fleur and Harry kept talking almost continuously while the were in at Flourish & Blotts, getting their books. They quickly became good friends. Sure, they had known each other last year, but not that much. At one time when the others were in another part of the store Fleur suddenly looked at very seriously at Harry.  
  
"'Arry, I've been meaning to talk with you about what 'appened zis spring," said Fleur.  
  
"What?" said Harry, hating to be reminded of it. Fleur took a deep breath, and then she looked straight into Harry's eyes. Harry felt just like when Professor McGonnagall was about to give him a scolding for something.  
  
"You can not, on any condition take ze blame for Cedric's death," said Fleur. "I'm sure you did everyzing possible to 'elp 'im. But what is done is done. You can't let it get you down..." Harry felt that Fleur was right, it was about time to let it go. A few seconds silence followed.  
  
"Thanks, Fleur... It means a lot..." said Harry, swallowing a lump in the throat.  
  
"I don't 'esitate zat your going to make it, 'Arry. Especially with your friends to 'elp you," said Fleur. Now she saw something behind Harry, smiled, and then looked back at Harry. "Besides, I zink Ron's sister cares a great deal about you."  
  
"What makes you say that?" said Harry. Then he realised what Fleur must've seen. "Ginny's standing over there, right?" Fleur nodded.  
  
"If she was a basilisk, I'd be at ze cemetary now..." said Fleur. "Are you two...?"  
  
"...Together? No, not yet at least. Though I have to admit, I like more now than I used to..." said Harry. Fleur gave quick laugh. "What?"  
  
"You 'ad such a funny expression on your face just now, zat's all," said Fleur. "A tip though, 'Arry. Don't 'urt 'er, becasue zen you will Ron and ze twins 'unting for you..." Harry chuckled.  
  
"Don't you think I know that?" he said. "But it's worse, they are three more brothers..."  
  
"Ouch! Well, you better watch out zen, 'Arry Potter..." said Fleur. The conversation went onto other subjects, until it was time to go. When the had paid for the books and left the store the group decided to have a coffee break.  
  
"That will be the perfect opportunity to give Ron his present..." thought Hermione.  
  
"Okay, what are we having?" said Mr Weasley.  
  
"I feel a need for some butterbeer..." said Ron. Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"Ron, you always 'feel a need for some butterbeer'," she said.  
  
"So? It's not my fault they mad it so good," said Ron. "You can't exactly say that you would mind drinking some?" Hermione didn't answer. "Thought so... Two butterbeers then."  
  
"Better make that three," said Harry.  
  
"Four," said Ginny.  
  
"Five," said Fred.  
  
"Make it six," said George.  
  
"Okay...anyone who doesn't want butterbeer?" said Mr Weasley. None said anything. "What about you, Fleur? What would you like?"  
  
"Oh, butterbeer is fine with me, Mr Weasley," said Fleur. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked with a surprised look at Fleur. "What? I tasted someonce at 'Ogwarts. Don't zink zat becasue I'm French I can't drink anyzing but wine."  
  
"Okay, okay, we didn't mean anything by it," said Harry.  
  
"So, nine butterbeers that is," said Mr Weasley, and then went of towards the counter. After while he came back and gave everyone their butterbeer.  
  
  
  
They chatted a while about different things, among other things Mrs Weasley asked Fleur what she thought about England. Upon hearing this Harry nearly choked on his butterbeer. Fleur hadn't exactly been especially quiet about expressing her opinions about England Last year while visiting Hogwarts. But Fleur just smiled.  
  
"Funny zat you would ask me." she said. "In fact, I 'ated England when I got 'ere last year. But over time I've gotten used to ze country, bought warmer clothes and such."  
  
"Oh, now you're forgetting the food," said Hermione. "We all heard about that last year!" First Fleur looked a bit embarrassed, but then she laughed.  
  
"Well, I guess you are right," said Fleur. "I wasn't really.subtle on zat issue. I expressed several times at 'Ogwarts zat I zought ze food was a bit 'eavy and fat. But I guess some vanity played a part in it, something I can say zat I 'ave a lot less of now. Besides, I zought of ze idea of taking smaller 'elpings." At this part Harry could imagine that Mrs Weasley unclenched a fist she'd with all probability had kept clenched during Fleur's expression of her opinions about English cooking.  
  
Fleur paused for a few seconds, and then continued. "In fact, with my new job I work 'alf ze time in France, and 'alf ze time 'ere in England. So as you can see, I 'ave no more problem's with England."  
  
"Really? Here in England? That's nice," said George, sounding a bit too happy. Ron and Hermione enhanced quick looks, but didn't say anything. Now George realised how happy he actually had sounded. "Um.well, because England is nice." Now Hermione stood up, having decided that now was the time to give Ron his present.  
  
"Before George embarrass himself even more." she said.  
  
"Hey!" said George.  
  
".Sorry, George, but someone had to say it." said Hermione. "What I was really trying to say was that I have a little surprise for you, Ron." Now Ron became pale, expecting the worst. "Calm down, it's not a spider! But before you get your surprise Harry must have the credit, since it was his idea, and Fred and George since they paid for it. Don't worry, Mrs Weasley, I bought it so it's not some kind of prank-thing." Mrs Weasley immediately looked a bit relieved.  
  
"Hey!" said Fred and George. Now Hermione took up a bag.  
  
"And now, without further ado." she said and pulled up the dress robe from the bag. The whole group, except for Ginny and Hermione, was stunned (well, a bit at least). The dress robe was mostly wine-red (A/N: Not maroon, mind you!), with brown decorations at the collar and arm wrists. It looked a bit like Harry's dress robe, but was more of a suit than Harry's. The material was shining with a wavy effect, but wasn't to flashy or bragging.  
  
"Woah." Ron finally managed to say. Hermione grinned and gave Ron quick peck.  
  
"I knew you'd like it!" she said happily. "Though, I did choose it so that's why it's so perfect."  
  
"Hey, I was there to, you know." said Ginny, pretending to be hurt.  
  
"Oh, Ginny, I was just joking!" said Hermione. "Though, that wavy effect on the dress robe is only a spell, so you have to do it the same evening as it's going to be worn. There are some instructions in the bag how to do it. Plus, I know some other clothing spells."  
  
"Oh, you do.? Well, we'll just have to try them some night." said Ron. He was just about to kiss Hermione when.  
  
"I'm just going to say that I'm still here, so I wont have to say it later on." said Harry, a light smile on his face. Ron and Hermione immediately interrupted the almost started kiss. This whole thing made Fred and George incredibly curious.  
  
"What?" said George.  
  
"Come on, tell," said Fred.  
  
"HAROLD JAMES POTTER! Don't you dare say a word!" Hermione exclaimed in a VERY decisive tone of voice, convincing Harry too keep quiet.  
  
"Ouch, full name and all. Must be something really serious," said Fred, then quickly going quiet after a glare from Hermione.  
  
"Just one question," said Mrs Weasley. "Fred and George, how could you get so much money?"  
  
"Well, we...eh..." said George.  
  
"I gave them the money, Mrs Weasley," said Harry, deciding that Fred And George had had bad enough of a day already.  
  
"You, Harry?" said Mrs Weasley, surprised.  
  
"It's the prize money from the Triwizard Tournament," said Harry. "I had no use for it, so I gave them to Fred and George."  
  
"But Harry dear, it was your money, we ca-" said Mrs Weasley, interrupting herself when Harry calmly shook his head.  
  
"I'm not taking them back," said Harry. "Besides, they seem to have been made to good use." He nodded towards Ron's new dress robe. Mrs Weasley only nodded, understanding that Harry had made up his mind.  
  
  
  
The conversations went on for a while, among other topics was the café they were at.  
  
"I wonder... said Ron. "This place is called Brown's. Wonder if it's a relative to Lavender that owns it? Heard anything about it, Hermione?"  
  
"No, I haven't," said Hermione. "But I wouldn't be surprised if you're right."  
  
"Speaking of Lavender..." said Harry. "I wonder if she and Parvati's been a bad influence on you."  
  
"What makes you say that?" said Hermione, surprised (and to be quite honest, a bit offended).  
  
"Well, you have been awfully giggly lately," said Harry. "And just this morning you got very excited about that...um...secret..." Fred looked at Harry with a rather mad glare at this point, making him not tell anything more. "...and you could barely wait to tell Ginny about it." Now Harry was afraid that Hermione was going to be mad at him, but she just smiled.  
  
"So?," she said. "A girl's got a right to gossip a little now and then. Ain't that right, Ginny?"  
  
"Absolutely," said Ginny, and smiled too. Harry and Ron exchanged concerned glances.  
  
"Besides..." said Hermione. "A person giggles and laughs more the more happy they are."  
  
"Please..." said Harry, Fred and George all at once. But Harry thought. That Hermione probably was right.  
  
  
  
A while later it was time to go home. They took their things and headed towards The Leaky Cauldron. Fred and George had, fortunately enough for their backs, been relieved from carrying everything themselves, and instead everyone carried something each. Well, not Fleur, but that was only because Mrs Weasley had insisted that she shouldn't have to carry anything. Fleur herself had said that she wouldn't mind helping them. When the group reached the inn. It was time to say goodbye to Fleur.  
  
"Good bye, and 'ave a nice day everybody," she said. "I'll write to you 'Arry. I won't let go if my first friend in England all zat easily..."  
  
"I'd like that, Fleur," said Harry. "Bye, hope everything will go fine!"  
  
"Bye, Fleur!" said all the others all at the same time. Fleur couldn't do anything but laugh. Then she went out of the in, into the muggle street outside. Now everybody got back to the Burrow through the floo network. His time everyone made it back without a hitch. Even Hermione mad it back right this time. Ron gave her a peck on the cheek, leaving a clean spot in the soot from the trip, to congratulate her ("Please..." said Fred and George once again).  
  
  
  
The rest of the day everyone of the children packed for their trip to Hogwarts, excited about going back the following day. When Harry lay down in bed that night he felt more homesick than ever. Even though he'd alwasy considered the Burrow as a home, it was at Hogwarts he felt the most at home. At last Harry fell asleep. Amile on his face.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: I really tried with Fleur's accent in this chapter, so don't be too mean about it okay?  
  
And I reeeeeaaaalllyyy suck at inventing new names for things, thus the name Thunderbolt V.  
  
Oh, my god, this took like four weeks to translate! Next chapter will be up quicker, I promise.  
  
This rounds reviewers (14 reviews and counting!):  
  
Amber Stalkin - I know, I thought about that too! Thus, it made more sense in paring them up. Really think I'm "wonderful"? *blushes* Thanks, I really appreciate it. Good pick for favourite movie, Ever After is a really good one. Though I saw it on TV after I saw Mission Impossible 2, so I kept seeing Dougray Scott as the villain in MI2, not as the prince. But still, It's a really good movie.  
  
Kat097 - Thanks!  
  
harypotrfan - Hm...guess your right, it is a bit provocative. Still, she did say she accepted them as a couple... And I think she wanted to tag long to make sure nothing happened.  
  
Still...only one of you told me your favourite movie... Well, no time like the present to make up! Name your favourite movie in your review!  
  
  
  
Emher  
  
  
  
  
  
PS. I saw "The Sum of All Fears" today (movies takes a while to get here sometimes...), and loved it! I like these political thrillers like "The Hunt for Red October" and "Thirteen Days", an this one was right up with those. It really made you think sometimes, especially after 9/11. Plus I gotta test my home cinema system with this movie on DVD. DS. 


	5. Chapter 5 The journey back to Hogwarts

A/N: Ok, for this, the fifth chapter, you really have to have read my fic "Entering a new world" to get the character of Lynn. Took a while to translate this chapter too...only two days shy of four weeks... Keep the faith, only one slow chapter left!  
  
  
  
5. The journey back to Hogwarts  
  
  
  
Harry woke up early in the morning. Ron was still asleep, talking in his sleep.  
  
"Don't worry...I...save...Hungarian horntail..." he mumbled. Harry smiled, he very well could imagine what theme Ron's dream had.  
  
"Might as well check the trunk again..." Harry thought. He got up out of bed, put his clothes on, and then started going through his trunk. He really didn't need to do it, he knew everything was there. But I felt...comfortable to check it again. "Must be some kind of stress syndrome..."  
  
"Ha ha, that got him..." mumbled Ron. Then he started waving his arms around. "Expecto Patronum! Yeah...worked...told ya...no dementors..."  
  
"First dragons, now dementors..." said Harry to himself. "Why do he dream about that?"  
  
"Hermione..." said Ron, smiling, answering Harry's question, though still asleep.  
  
"Ah, well, that explains it..." said Harry. There was a knock on the door. "Com in." Hermione entered the room. Obviously she also had woken early, since she was fully dressed (A/N: What did you think?).  
  
"Good morning," she said.  
  
"Good morning," said Harry. Now Hermione noticed the sleeping Ron, mumbling something in his sleep. She smiled and looked at Harry.  
  
"Must be a Weasley family trait, Ginny does the same thing," said Hermione. "Heard anything interesting?" Harry chuckled.  
  
"Of what I've heard, you two's been on quite an adventure," said Harry. "Dragons, dementors and such. What about you? Anything interesting?" Hermione's statement had woken Harry's curiosity.  
  
"Wouldn't mind if it was something about me..." he thought.  
  
"Nothing that I could reveal without Ginny killing me," said Hermione. "Especially to you." Hermione's eyes now went wide. Apparently she had revealed a little bit more than planned. Harry smiled.  
  
"Oops, tongue slipped, eh?" he said, teasingly. Hermione looked with a slightly angry look at him. "I won't tell if you won't, okay?"  
  
"Okay," said Hermione, letting of the angry look. Now she looked at Ron. "Maybe we should wake him up."  
  
"I'll do it," said Harry, a mischievous smile on his face. He leaned down towards Ron. "Hey, Ron! I saw Malfoy kissing Hermione in the library, thought you'd' wanna know..." Ron's eyes immediately opened and he sat straight up in his bed.  
  
"I'LL KILL HIM, THE SLIMY LITTLE FERRET!" he roared. Harry and Hermione broke down into fits of laughter. Ron just blinked, surprised, for a few seconds, then realising that it was all a joke. "Ha ha, very funny Harry..."  
  
"Sorry, but I just had too!" Harry managed to get out. After a few seconds he calmed down a bit. "See you at breakfast, and don't take too long, you two." Harry left the room before Ron or Hermione could say that they didn't know what he was talking about.  
  
  
  
Harry went down the stairs to the kitchen. Mrs Wesley was up also, making breakfast. She saw Harry and smiled.  
  
"Good morning, Harry!" she said. "Couldn't sleep any longer, huh?"  
  
"No," said Harry. "Guess I'm a bit tense about the trip I guess." Harry yawned.  
  
"Sit down and eat, that will wake you up a bit," said Mrs Weasley. Harry sat down at the table, on which lots of food stood. There was sandwiches, porridge (A/N: or is it called oatmeal?), fried eggs and much more. After a few moments Ginny also came down, then Fred and George, Mr Weasley and Percy. Although, it took a while for Ron and Hermione to come down, holding hands, and sitting down at the table. Nobody said anything.  
  
"What?" said Ron.  
  
"So, dad, how are to get to the station this year?" George asked his father, deciding not to tease Ron.  
  
"I managed to get a hold of some cars from the Ministry this year. But you," said Mr Weasley, eyeing Fred and George. "You will have to take it easy this year, or God knows where we might get dropped of." Fred and George again had the guiltily innocent expression upon their faces.  
  
"Don't know what you're talking about, dear father..." they both said at once.  
  
"You don't, huh?" said Mr Weasley, looking slightly amused. "Well, I guess it will go fine. Right, Molly?" Mrs Weasley didn't answer, obviously not having the same confidence in Fred and George.  
  
  
  
After breakfast everyone thanked Mrs Weasley for the good food and went up do get their things, and Percy went to get ready for work. When they were done and was to go down the stairs Ron thought he'd be a gentleman and carry Hermione's trunk down the stairs. After falling down three stairs whilst trying to carry the trunk, he had got several bruises, plus knock his head and blacked out. Hermione came running down after him, closely followed by Harry and Ginny.  
  
"RON?! Ron, are you all right?!" Hermione exclaimed, getting down on her knees besides Ron.  
  
"Swell, Mione," said Ron, who now came to and sat up. "If you disregard the fact that I'm hurting everywhere, including my head..." He touched the backside of his head. "Not bleeding anyway..." Now Mrs Weasley entered the room.  
  
"What happened?" she said.  
  
"Ron fell down the stairs, Mrs Weasley," said Harry.  
  
"Down two-" Ron looked around. "Um...THREE stairs... What is in that trunk, anyway, Hermione? It weighs a ton..."  
  
"Just things, books mostly..." said Hermione.  
  
"Why ask..." thought everyone else.  
  
"Hold on, I'll make you feel a bit better," said Mrs Weasley and took out her wand. She muttered something and Ron immediately went better. "There we go. Better?"  
  
"Yeah, much better. Thanks, mum," said Ron.  
  
  
  
After a few minutes Fred and George came down. Harry and Ginny had gone up to get their trunks, and came down behind the twins. Hermione also came down, taking Ron's trunk to make up to him for the rough ride down the stairs. Mr Weasley was ready now also. There was a sound of a car horn outside.  
  
"That's the cars," said Mr Weasley. "Everyone have their things?" Everyone nodded. "Good, let's go." They went out and loaded the things into the cars. Mrs Weasley warned Fred and George one last time to calm ("We? Making trouble? Wouldn't dream of it, dear mother..."). Harry, Ron, Fred and George got in one of the cars, and Mr and Mrs Weasley, Hermione and Ginny in the other. During the trip Fred and George actually managed to stay calm (stranger things have happened...), and they arrived at Kings Cross Station twenty minutes before the train was leaving. They unloaded their things onto trolleys, and went into the station as the cars left.  
  
  
  
A few minutes later they had reached they wall between platforms 9 and 10, the entrance to platform 9 ¾.  
  
"Fred, you go first," said Mrs Weasley. Fred went towards the wall, pretending to walk towards platform 9, but sneaked into the wall when no one watched.  
  
"Now you, George." George started walking, looking at a few girls who were about to get on a train at platform 10, but then sneaked through the wall also.  
  
"Harry, you go now." Harry took firm grip of the car and started walking. He made sure no one looked, and walked through the wall. Once through he saw the Hogwarts Express, steam engine and all. A bit away he saw Fred and George talking to Lee Jordan. Behind Harry Ginny now entered, only to discoverer that Harry hadn't moved enough, and Ginny lost control of her trolley, trying to avoid hitting Harry. She managed to swing the trolley so that it wouldn't fall down upon the railroad tracks, but didn't manage to do the same thing with herself.  
  
"Oh, this is gonna hurt..." she thought as she was about to fall down upon the tracks. But she didn't hit the tracks. Harry had thrown himself at her to avoid her falling down upon the tracks. They both fell down upon the platform floor, Harry with his arms around Ginny.  
  
"Thanks, Harry..." said Ginny, a slight blush upon her face.  
  
"Any time..." said Harry. Now Ron came through the wall, seeing the two on the floor.  
  
"Jeez Harry, you could've at least waited until we were on the train!" he said. Harry and Ginny got up, and Ginny nudged Ron in the ribs. "Ow!"  
  
"Don't get any ideas, dear brother," said Ginny. "I was about to fell down upon the tracks, when Harry saved at the last moment. That's why we were on the floor." Hermione entered just in time to hear the last part.  
  
"What?!" she exclaimed. "You were on the floor?! What were you doing there?!" Half the people at the platform turned to see what the commotion was about.  
  
"Okay, recap," said Harry. "Ginny was about to fall down on the tracks, and I saved her. Hence the floor thing."  
  
"Okay..." said Hermione. Now Mr Weasley entered, closely followed by Mrs Weasley. The teenagers begun getting on the train. They found an empty cabin were Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione got settled in. Fred and George went on to find Kevin Walsh, and to find a cabin for themselves. When the train was about to leave everyone said goodbye to Mr and Mrs Weasley through the open window. As soon as the train started moving they said goodbye one last time and closed the window. Soon the train had left the station. Harry leaned back into his seat.  
  
"On the way again..." he said.  
  
  
  
The train had just left London when the door to the cabin opened. In the door Lynn Walsh stood. She had neck-length bronze hair, was just above normal height, and had a happy expression upon her face (A/N: I describe in case you haven't read anything with Lynn in before).  
  
"So, here's were you're hiding!" she said.  
  
"Hi, Lynn," said Hermione.  
  
"Hi, Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Ron. How you doing?" said Lynn, and entered the cabin and sat down next to Ginny and Harry.  
  
"Fine," said Ginny. "And you?"  
  
"Same here, fine," said Lynn. "Sorry I didn't get here until now, my brother kept me behind..." She looked a bit angry at the last part.  
  
"Fred, George and Lee was looking for him," said Harry.  
  
"Oh joy... They're probably sitting around, planning tricks for the entire year..." said Lynn, looking tired. But then she lightened up. "So...done anything special this summer?" She hadn't noticed that Ron and Hermione held hands. Hermione was just about to speak, when Lynn interrupted her. "Don't say it: you've been sitting inside every day, studying for the OWL:s? I'm right, of course."  
  
"No, actually I've..." Hermione begun, but interrupted herself, looking pale. Everyone looked at her with questioning looks. "I just remembered something... I haven't studied for them since Ron came over to my house..." Ron looked confused.  
  
"So what? I came over to you just last week, so it's not that bad," said Ron.  
  
"No, Ron, since the first time you came over to my house..." said Hermione. Now Harry and Ginny looked accusingly at Ron.  
  
"What did you do to Hermione?!" they exclaimed, the accusing looks still present. Ron began feeling uncomfortable, but Harry and Ginny couldn't hold it any more and began laughing. Ron saw the fun in it after a few seconds and laughed too, if a little nervously.  
  
"Um...excuse me?" said Lynn. "Could someone please explain why you're accusing Ron for doing something to Hermione?"  
  
"Didn't I write about it to you?" said Hermione, surprised. Lynn shook her head.  
  
"Nope. Wrote what?" she said. Ron and Hermione held up their holding hands. Lynn's eyes went wide. "No, get out of here... You two an item?" Ron and Hermione nodded, grinning broadly. "Well, I shouldn't be surprised. Especially when you think about how jealous Ron was when spent al that time with Krum last year..."  
  
"Was it really that obvious?" said Ron, looking a bit bothered. Harry, Ginny and Lynn nodded.  
  
"Yup!" the three of them said.  
  
"Well, good for you two, anyway," said Lynn. "But how did it happen?" I mean, last thing I heard you were going to Bulgaria with Krum, Hermione."  
  
"Well...this is what happened..." Hermione began, thought being interrupted by Ron.  
  
"Hermione sent a letter to me saying that she'd invited to stay with Krum," said Ron. "So I-"  
  
"He panicked, got over to Hermione's house, and proclaimed his love for her," Harry interrupted. Ron looked at him with a rather angry look.  
  
"You make it sound so simple..." said Ron. "I'd like to see you do something similar." Harry froze, blushing almost unnoticeably.  
  
"Damn you Ron if Ginny noticed that just now..." Harry thought, looking a Ron angrily. Ron on the other hand, decided against teasing Harry further. He was about to say something, when the door opened. It was Neville.  
  
"Hi," he said. "Can I PLEASE sit in here? The only other seats are with Lavender and Parvati, and I can't stand them!"  
  
"Sure, sure, come in," said Harry.  
  
"We understand you..." said Ron.  
  
"Thanks," said Neville and sat down next to Ron. "So, how's summer been?"  
  
  
  
After Neville too had found out about Ron and Hermione the conversation went on to other things. Apparently, Neville had trained flying a bit during the summer.  
  
"Really?" said Ron, a disbelieving tone in his voice. Neville gave Ron a slightly angry look.  
  
"Yes, really," said Neville. "I can fly pretty good. Absolutely better than the first flight lesson at school... All I needed was practice."  
  
"That and a lot of pillows on the ground..." said Ginny. Neville gave her the slightly angry look. "I'm kidding! Speaking about flying...who do you think will be the new Quidditch-captain now that Wood's gone?" Everyone looked at Harry.  
  
"What? Me? No no no, I'm not fit for being Captain," said Harry.  
  
"I dunno, Harry," said Ron. "I think you'd do fine," said Ginny.  
  
"Thanks for the trust," said Harry. "But I really don't think that I'm all that good a choice... Being a seeker is enough for me." Though, he did think about a bit. Him? Captain? Maybe...  
  
  
  
Time flew by when everyone played games and talked about things. When they witch with the trolley came by Harry bought everyone something ("Thanks, Harry!") They were having a discussion which Harry wasn't entirely certain what it was about, when they hear three pair of feet approaching in the hallway. Harry, Ron and Hermione immediately drew out their wands and pointed them towards the door. It opened. There stood...  
  
"AH! Don't shoot!" Kevin Walsh, Fred and George exclaimed. Harry, Ron and Hermione lowered their wands.  
  
"Thanks..." said Kevin. He had dark blond hair, was tall and was now slightly pale by the surprise. "Why did you do that?" "We thought you were Malfoy and his gorillas," said Ron.  
  
"Though they'd have to pretty dumb to try and insult us again on this train after what happened last time, eh?" said Harry.  
  
"Yeah," said Fred, smiling a bit when remembering how Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had looked after they'd been hit with all those spells on they way back from Hogwarts last year.  
  
"Come to think about it Malfoy didn't seem to have to have healed entirely when we bumped into him in Diagon Alley," said George, a smile on his face.  
  
"Well, we do have official business here," said Kevin, doing his best Percy impersonation (which was rather good). "Hermione, you are to report to the last car to meet up with the other prefects." Ron looked sad upon hearing this.  
  
"Okay, on my way," said Hermione. She got up and took her robe. Then she bent down towards the slightly sad Ron. "Easy, I'll see you later."  
  
"Really?" said Ron, sounding like he wouldn't see her again. Hermione gave a giggle upon hearing how worried he sounded.  
  
"Yes, you dolt! I'll see you in an hour or so at the feast," said Hermione.  
  
"Oh, yeah...right..." said Ron, feeling stupid (and rightfully so, in this case). "Sorry If I'm a bit silly..." But Hermione just smiled.  
  
"It's okay, you're cute when you're worried," she said, and then kissed Ron.  
  
"Are they...?" said Kevin, when Ron and Hermione after a few seconds still hadn't stopped kissing.  
  
"Oh, yes," said Harry.  
  
"Wasn't she like...?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"How..?"  
  
"Ron managed to call it of when he heard about it."  
  
"Aha." Now Ron and Hermione stopped kissing. Hermione went out of the cabin, and started walking back in the train. She met Lee in the corridor, on his way to meet Fred, George, and Kevin. "Then, ladies and gentlemen, we have business to attend to..." They walked away in the corridor, all laughing maniacally: "MOHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"  
  
"They're up to something again..." said Ron, Ginny, and Lynn. All five in the cabin sighed heavily.  
  
  
  
A while later it was time for them to get changed before arriving at the train station. Harry still had his old robe since he hadn't outgrown it yet. Ron had one of Percy's old ones.  
  
"I wish I could get a new robe for once..." said Ginny, putting on a use robe Mrs Weasley had bought for her (A/N: Yes, they changed in front of each other, they do have their regular clothes under!). The train arrived at the station and they got onto the platform. The sky was clear, and the air was a nice temperature. They could see Hogwarts in the distance, lights shining through the windows.  
  
"Wait a sec..." said Harry. "If Hagrid's away this year, then who's-"  
  
"First years this way!" called a familiar voice from the other end of the platform. Harry and the others looked towards the voice, but they could see the person since the light from the lamp was to strong. They got into one of the carriages, and once they were all seated it began moving up to the castle. After a while they went through the gates and soon they were at the entrance. They got out and went into the hallway. Once in they noticed that most of the students in the school was in the hallway. Suddenly Harry froze. Ron noticed, and stopped too though Ginny, Lynn and Neville continued into the great hall.  
  
"Harry?" said Ron.  
  
"You gotta be kidding me..." said Harry, not so much to Ron as to himself. Harry saw Cho Chang. She had, like Ginny, changed some during the summer. Even though she wore her loose robe you could see that she'd got more defined curves during the summer, even more than Ginny, and she looked more grown up. A year ago this would've seemed great, but right now Harry just wanted it not to have happened. Now he had to weigh his re-discovered feeling towards Cho against this newly found feelings toward Ginny.  
  
"I'm in for it now..." he thought, half expecting a punch from Ron. He looked at Ron. It seemed he too had noticed Cho's changed looks.  
  
"Damn, Harry..." said Ron. Most of the students had now entered the great hall. "We better go inside. We'll discuss THIS later..." Harry swallowed, and followed Ron into the hall. The last Harry wanted to be was being beaten to a pulp by the Weasley brothers for breaking Ginny's heart.  
  
"But I don't want to break her heart..." Harry thought. "Potter, what have you gotten yourself into?" He sighed.  
  
  
  
Inside the great hall almost all students had arrived. The clear sky was visible through the enchanted ceiling. Ginny waved to them from the Gryffindor table. Harry quickly glanced at Ginny, and then at Cho. Harry sighed once again, and sat down besides Ron who sat between Harry and Ginny. Now the first years walked into the hall and walked up to the sorting hat. But Harry didn't notice. He was too busy thinking about what to do about Cho and Ginny. But also a bit how many ways he could be killed by the Weasley brothers.  
  
"Harry?" said Ginny, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Why aren't you eating?"  
  
"Hm? What?" said Harry. He looked down at the table, where there now stood food. Apparently he'd been thinking so much that he'd missed the sorting, song and all. "Sorry. Just thinking. Missed the sorting it seems."  
  
"It's okay," said Ginny. "The hats song was shorter than usual anyway."  
  
"How many was sorted into Gryffindor?" said Harry.  
  
"Five boys, five girls," said Ginny. "Slytherin got more than usual though..."  
  
"Okay..." said Harry.  
  
"Com on, eat," said Ginny, smiling. She returned her attention to her food.  
  
  
  
When everyone in the hall had eaten as much they could, Professor Dumbledore stood up. Almost immediately the hall went silent, though the Slytherins took a few seconds longer to become quiet.  
  
"First of all I welcome our new first year students to Hogwarts," said Dumbledore. "As for the rest of you, welcome back. Let me introduce the new teachers. The first some of you will recognise. May I present Professor Remus Lupin, you teacher in Defence Against the Dark Arts." Lupin stood up. "So, that's why I recognised the voice at the station," Harry thought. Immediately a level of murmuring erupted in the hall, with the exception of Draco Malfoy who exclaimed: "But he's a werewolf!". This didn't exactly help in stopping the murmuring.  
  
"Some of you may have heard about Professor Lupin's minor problem," continued Dumbledore. Some loud scoffs were heard from the Slytherin table. "But I assure that he has it under control. He is fully functional as teacher, and will be that for the entire year." And Lupin did seem a lot healthier than the last time Harry had seen him.  
  
"We also have new teachers in Potions and Car of Magical Creatures. These positions are temporary, since your ordinary teachers hopefully will return to their jobs. May I introduce Tarrysus Fonvielle, our new teacher in Potions." A long man with well-combed, light brown hair stood up. He smiled lightly, but he didn't seem all that nice. In fact he reminded Harry a lot of Snape. Polity applause were heard throughout the room, and Fonvielle sat down again.  
  
"Carl Zemeckare, your new teacher in Car of Magical Creatures." A man of normal height, with curly brown hair with dashes of dark grey, stood up. He was a bit round, and had a happy expression upon his face. Applause were heard from all tables except the Slytherin table. Zemeckare sat down again.  
  
"And now I would like to make a slightly...unusual presentation." Harry could've sworn that Dumbledore had glanced quickly at him. "We have an addition among our more...permanent habitants. May I present..." A shape came through the wall behind Dumbledore and stood beside him. "...Cedric Diggory." The silence in the room was total. After a few seconds tow loud thuds were heard. The thuds were the sounds that were created when Harry Potter's and Cho Chang's unconscious bodies fell to the floor.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Ha! Didn't expect I'd bring Cedric back, huh?  
  
The love triangle thing a started in this chapter in there simply because I llllllooooooooovvveee love triangles! Guess it's one of the effects of growing up watching Macross... Plus sometimes I just love tormenting the character emotionally!  
  
Questions about Cedric's reappearance will be cleared in the next chapter (I'm mean, eh?).  
  
About the stairs gag, I myself think that the stairs in the Burrow is made out of soft wood (hence Ron didn't die falling down the stairs).  
  
Carl Zemeckare is inspired by my grandfather. Thanks grandpa for giving me inspiration for the character, and for making the worlds best honey (as in honey made by bees...)!  
  
Tarrysus Fonvielle is just someone I cooked up, utilising my dark sides :)  
  
Only one review for the last chapter? It wasn't that bad! Anyway...here's my coments for the review:  
  
bookworm - I know it's a Firebolt! The thing is I live in Sweden, and here the name for the Firebolt is Thunderbolt (if you translate it back into English)! I think it's got something to do with our Air Force's planes (where a plane is called Thunderbolt)... Anyway, I mixed it up.  
  
Now, review! And remember: only one slow chapter left!  
  
  
  
Emher 


	6. Chapter 6 Explanations

A/N: I'm so very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very sorry for not giving you a new chapter until now! At least now I don't have to translate any more, and can write directly to English. Anyway, I'm not gonna keep you anymore. Here's the sixth chapter!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 6. Explanations  
  
  
  
Harry woke up, but didn't open his eyes. He felt a familiar smell, and that he lay in a comfortable bed.  
  
"The hospital wing," he thought. "I should recognise it..." The bed was so soft that he felt it not all that necessary to get up just yet. He moved to lie on his side, still not having opened his eyes. The sound of something moving reached Harry's ears. He opened his left eye. Next to the Ginny, Ron and Hermione sat.  
  
"Harry?" said Ginny, a concerned tone in her voice. "You feel all right?" Now Harry opened his right eye too, and sat up.  
  
"Yeah, feeling great, Ginny," said Harry. "Okay, do I remember it wrong, or have Cedric now become a ghost?"  
  
"You remember just fine, Harry," said a voice from the other side of the bed before anyone else could say anything. It was Cedric, who'd gone through the wall without Harry noticing it. "Sorry if I scared you."  
  
"It's okay, I was... surprised, that's all," said Harry. Cedric chuckled.  
  
"Guess I could've been more subtle..." said Cedric, and scratched the back of his head embarrassingly. Then he looked over to a bed a few metres away. In it lay the still unconscious Cho. "But you weren't alone to take it that way..." Harry looked at Cho. All the thoughts he had before came back. But now there was more important things to be dealt with. Harry looked at Ginny, Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Could you wait outside?" said Harry. "I have to talk with Cedric." All three nodded, and then left the room, closing the door after them. Harry looked at Cedric again, and was about to speak when Cedric interrupted him.  
  
"Before you start I want to say something," he said. "The only one who can be held responsible for my death is You-Know-Who. Not you, not me. So stop blaming yourself for it, Harry."  
  
"Thanks, Cedric," said Harry. "But I was going to say that the whole walking-through-the-wall thing was a nice entrance. Though, I would've got to that eventually. But how... um... can you be a ghost? I though that people killed by that curse couldn't become ghosts?"  
  
"Well, normally that would be true," said Cedric. "But somehow I got stuck here as a ghost after I hot pulled out of You-Know-Who's wand. Shortly after you had used the portkey to get back, I ended up back here at Hogwarts. I kept to my self and then went to visit Headmaster Dumbledore when all the students had gone home." He paused for a few seconds. "Besides, I had... some things to do... Anyway, feeling better? Think you can walk back to your dorms?"  
  
"Yeah, much better," said Harry and got up. "Guess I'll see you around, huh?"  
  
"Count on it, Potter," said Cedric, smiling. Now Cho started moving in her sleep, and would probably wake up any second. "Could you...?  
  
"Leave you two alone? Sure," said Harry. He walked towards the exit.  
  
  
  
Harry explained to the others about how became a Ghost at Hogwarts. No they reached the portrait.  
  
"What's the password?" said Harry.  
  
"Um... hold on..." said Hermione, going trough her pockets.  
  
"You don't know it?" said Harry, surprised. "You're a prefect, didn't you lead the first-years here?"  
  
"No, Professor McGonnagall did it since I wanted to go to the hospital wing to wait for you to wake up," said Hermione, still going through her pockets. "But I wrote it down. It was quite difficult for security reasons..." Now she took out a note. "Here it is! Gnirenoeht!" (A/N: Read it backwards for Fantasy connection ^_^) The lady in the portrait nodded and the entrance opened. They stepped into the common room.  
  
"I'm gonna have serious trouble with that password..." said Ron. Harry chuckled.  
  
"You? With a prefect for a girlfriend?" he said. "Bet you'll know it better than anyone else."  
  
"Oh, but it gets worse," said Hermione. "Because of security the password will be changed a few times during the year, and all we be about as hard as this one." Ron groaned.  
  
"Why me...?" he said, slumping down into an armchair.  
  
"'Cause we all love you so much, dear brother!" said Ginny, teasingly, ruffling his hair.  
  
"Great..." said Ron. "Would you prefer the opposite? Guess I'll be going then..." said Hermione, joking, and started going out of the room. But she didn't get far. Ron, who seemed to have believed that she'd been serious, had thrown himself out of the armchair and over the floor to grab Hermione's legs.  
  
"I didn't mean it like that!" he whined, partly because he'd lost his breath, looking up at his girlfriend with a pleading look. "Don't go!"  
  
"Jeez, Ron..." said Harry. "You really have to begin understanding when people are kidding or not..." A moment later Harry, Ginny and Hermione started laughing. Ron on the other hand looked like he'd just walked into the Great Hall wearing a fluffy pink bath robe: he felt very embarrassed.  
  
"What are you laughing at?" said Lynn, who'd entered through the portrait entrance without them noticing. Ron still had a firm grip around Hermione's legs. Lynn smiled. "Some sort of misunderstanding?"  
  
"You could say that," said Hermione. "Ron, would you mind letting go of my legs, and perhaps stand up...?" Ron did as he was told, still looking embarrassed though. Hermione smiled and whispered something in Ron's ear. The others didn't hear what it was, but whatever it was it made stop being so embarrassed. He nodded eagerly towards Hermione. "Later, dear..."  
  
"Well..." said Lynn, looking at Harry. "While they're planning their late- night activities-"  
  
"Hey!" said Ron, but Lynn ignored him.  
  
"-I would like to say that the reason I didn't come with you to the hospital wing was because of my 'dear' brother..." said Lynn.  
  
"Oh no, what did he do this time?" said Harry.  
  
"Just the same old thing, turning my hair into snakes..." said Lynn angrily. But then she lightened up. "But I got my revenge."  
  
"What kind of revenge?" said Ginny, hesitating a bit. Lynn went over to a cupboard and took out a glass and a jug of pumpkinjuice.  
  
"I beat him up," said Lynn, calmly, and poured some pumpkinjuice into the glass. They others in the room, except Ginny, was a bit stunned. Lynn took a sip of the pumpkinjuice.  
  
"Lynn..." Hermione begun, firmly.  
  
"What?" said Lynn. "He's used to it. It's how it's always been among us kids in my family. If we sisters thought the brothers were too mean: fight. Maybe it's a bit hard on them, since we almost always win." Lynn smiled and took a bit more of the pumpkinjuice.  
  
"Okay..." said Ron.  
  
"It's not like it hurts them all that much," said Lynn. "We don't hit THAT hard. We more like poke them. Didn't I tell you about that time my bigger brother discovered that my bigger sister Joanna was dating Charlie?"  
  
"No, you haven't actually," said Ginny.  
  
"Well, no time like the present," said Lynn and sat down into an armchair. The others sat down too, Ron and Hermione sharing an armchair and Harry and Ginny sat down in the sofa. Lynn took some or of the pumpkinjuice. "Okay, this is an extreme example just so you know. Though it is a good one. Michael was in his seventh year. Joanna was in her fifth year, she was in Rawenclaw by the way. Michael, Bill and Charlie were good friends. One day Bill accidentally happened to slip that Joanna and Charlie had been on a few dates together.  
  
Michael was furious not to have heard it sooner, especially since Charlie was his friend. But also since he saw Joanna as his little sister, not as the fifteen-yearold she was. Well, to make a long story short Michael interrupted Joanna's and Charlie's date. Joanna was... a bit angry at her brother for interrupting her date, babbling about her being 'To young for such things'."  
  
The others exchanged quick glances, smiling, reminded of Mr Weasley's misunderstanding. Lynn continued. "The consequence became that Joanna kicked Michael ass. He lay in the hospital wing for three days." Lynn finishes her story, and took the last of her pumpkinjuice. The others sat still, even more shocked that before. Lynn noticed this. "But as I said, this was an EXTREME example."  
  
"Guess your brother didn't interfere with your sister's business after that, huh?" said Ron.  
  
"Yup," said Lynn and smiled.  
  
  
  
A while later Harry, Ginny and Lynn went up to their dorms. Ron and Hermione went to Hermione's personal prefect room. Hermione were planning to do what she'd suggested to Ron earlier, but he seemed a bit absent  
  
"Ron, what is it?" she said. "You seem a bit absent."  
  
"Hm? No, it's nothing..." said Ron. But Hermione didn't give in that easily.  
  
"No, it's something. Come one, tell me," she said. Ron sighed heavily. "This can't be good news..."  
  
"It's Harry, he still have feelings for Cho," said Ron. "And the problem is I don't think he can decide between Ginny or Cho."  
  
"Oh... Do you want me to talk with him?" said Hermione.  
  
"Only if you want to," said Ron. "I was going to talk with him about it, but I just don't know if I can handle it..."  
  
"With Ginny being your sister and all?" said Hermione.  
  
"Yeah," said Ron. "If he hurts her in any way, I'm gonna..." Hermione shook her head, and silenced Ron by putting a finger over his lips.  
  
"You don't to say anything more," she said. "It's okay, we'll work it out." Ron nodded.  
  
"Yeah, you're right, as you often are," he said. Hermione smiled.  
  
"Stop, stop, you're embarrassing me!" she said. Ron smiled.  
  
"Really? Let's see if this have the same effect..." he said, and kissed her.  
  
  
  
The following morning Harry woke about half an hour before breakfast. He got up out of bed. Ron was still asleep, a happy expression upon his face. Harry hadn't heard him return the night before, so he had to have entered after Harry had fallen asleep. Harry now went into the bathroom and when he was done he got dressed. Ron still hadn't woken up. Harry prodded him lightly.  
  
"Just a little while longer, Hermione..." said Ron.  
  
"Nope, wrong answer," said Harry. "This is your OTHER best friend." Ron opened his eyes. "It's twenty minutes till breakfast. I'll wait down in the common room."  
  
"Right, I'll se you there..." said Ron, getting up and walking towards the bathroom. A while later he came down to the common room. Harry was in an armchair and Hermione was looking at something on the notice board.  
  
"Good morning," said Ron. Hermione looked towards him and smiled.  
  
"Good morning," she said, and started walking towards him.  
  
"I'll just wait outside then..." said Harry, getting up.  
  
"Okay, we get the point," said Ron. "Come on, let's go." The three of them exited the room.  
  
  
  
Down in the Great Hall Ginny, Lynn and Neville were already seated. Lavender and Parvati sat a few seats away, whispering about something with some third-year students. When Harry entered they looked at him and then started giggling. Harry groaned.  
  
"I don't even want to know what they've heard now..." he said.  
  
"Who said anything about hearing?" said Hermione. "They're probably starting some new rumours on their own..." Harry sat down next to Lynn and Neville, and Ron and Hermione on the opposite side next to Ginny.  
  
"You're looking unusually pleased with yourself," said Ron to Neville, who really did look unusually pleased and happy. "Care to share it with us?"  
  
"The mail will be arriving soon," said Neville.  
  
"Yeeaaah... so?" said Ron.  
  
"You know I usually get a package with the things I've forgotten, right?" said Neville. "But this year I've remembered EVERYTHING!"  
  
"That's good," said Ron, and started his breakfast. About twenty seconds later the familiar sound of fluttering wings were heard as the owls entered the hall. Neville just continued eating his breakfast, and therefore the small package fell down upon his head and then bounced down upon the table in front of the VERY surprised Neville. Ron, Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Lynn tried not to laugh, but couldn't hold it, and started laughing.  
  
"Sorry!" said Ron when he after few seconds managed to stop laughing. "Though you have to admit it's pretty funny!" Neville nodded and gave light smile.  
  
"At least it's not a big package," he said, and opened it. "Oh, my inkbottle!" Now the others calmed down, and looked through their own mail. Lynn smiled broadly when she looked upon one of her letters.  
  
"Well, aren't you glad," said Ginny. "Letter from a admirer?" Lynn gave a slightly angry look, though only in good fun.  
  
"No," said Lynn. "It's from Michael. He's on vacation and I haven't heard from him in a while."  
  
"Vacation?" said Hermione.  
  
"Yeah, he's gotta take time of sometime!" said Lynn. She opened the envelope, took out a letter, read it, and smiled. "He's on Hawaii. He says that it's great there, very warm and much nice things to see." She looked at the others. "With 'nice things' he probably means lots of pretty girls, at least if I know my brother right."She continued reading the letter. "He wishes me a nice term, hoping that all will go well. Hugs, Michael." Now Lynn smiled again. "PS. With 'much nice things to see' I don't mean ONLY Girls. The nature is nice to. DS." Lynn took out a picture that was in the envelope. "Oh my God! Look at his sun tan! Look!"  
  
She showed the others the picture. On the picture there was a long young man, with brown hair, sunglasses and bathing trunks, and with a dark brown sun tan on his body. He was standing on a long, white sand beach, waving once in a while and grinning broadly. In the background the blue green ocean was seen, and a bit away to the right there was a green height, covered in vegetation.  
  
"Almost make you want to catch the nearest portkey to Hawaii," said Harry.  
  
"Really? You'd do that?" said Ginny.  
  
"And miss all Quidditch? Never!" said Harry, grinning broadly.  
  
"Right, that reminds me." said Ron. "Fred and George told me that the selection of the new keeper and the new reserves are on Saturday."  
  
"Good," said Harry.  
  
"And they're choosing a new captain," said Ron. He and the others looked at Harry.  
  
"We'll see how it goes," said Harry. "Besides, I don't know how they choose the captain."  
  
"Well, to get to something more current..." said Hermione. "...Here's the schedule."  
  
"How bad is it?" said Ron. "Please say that we DON'T have double Potions class..."  
  
"We don't know yet how Fonvielle is as a teacher," said Harry. "He might be okay. Or at least better than Snape."  
  
"Let's hope so!" said Ron.  
  
"Here the schedule anyway," said Hermione, slightly irritated. "First class for the day: Potions with Slytherin." Load complaints and groans were heard form the others. "After that it's Defence Against the Dark Arts."  
  
"Yeah!" said Ron.  
  
"Then lunch," Hermione continued. "After that it's Care of Magical Creatures."  
  
"Also a new teacher," said Harry.  
  
"Zemeckare seems nicer than Fonvielle, though," said Ron.  
  
"We'll see," said Hermione. A while later they'd finished breakfast and went of to their classes.  
  
  
  
They arrived at Potions with time to spare. Professor Fonvielle wasn't there yet. Malfoy was at his seat, sending evil glares at Harry. Harry didn't want to be worse and gave him some nasty looks back. Ron and Hermione sat down next to each other, and Harry next to Ron. Lynn and Neville sat down next to each other. Though, Lynn didn't seem all to comfortable sitting next to Neville, since he wasn't exactly known for being safe at Potions. Just when everyone had sat down, Professor Fonvielle entered.  
  
"Morning, class," he almost drawled, reminding of Malfoy. "Oh, shit..." thought Harry and Ron. "Good morning, Professor," said the class. Professor Fonvielle raised one eyebrow, almost unnoticeably.  
  
"My, my, such polite students..." he said. "For starters I want to say that I keep the rules in my classes simple. Even though you see my a temporary teacher, you will know that the ones who treat me like that will get some nice little extra duties. I also demand attention and order." Neville began trembling. "Is that understood?"  
  
"Yes, Professor," said the class.  
  
"Good. Let's get started," said Fonvielle. "I'll be back in a moment." He left the room.  
  
"Doesn't seem promising..." said Ron.  
  
"Got that right..." said Harry. The two sighed heavily.  
  
"Come on guys, we haven't got started yet," said Hermione. Harry and Ron didn't say anything. Now Fonvielle entered the room with two sacks in his hands.  
  
"In this there's are gunpowder, a muggle invention," he said, holding up one sack. Now he held up the other one. "And in this one there's pieces of titanium. Now be aware that the gunpowder is explosive." Neville trembled a bit more. "Although, I have taken some security precautions, so the most you will get is a nasty burn." The trembling of Neville lessened. Then Fonvielle explained for the class what to do. Harry and Ron didn't quite get what they where doing, but at least they knew that they were supposed to make a potion with the gunpowder and titanium in it.  
  
Everyone started and things went fine, the potion having the right colour for everyone and all. It even went well for Neville, to Lynn's relief. At least until...  
  
"Um... is it supposed to be that green?" said Neville, when the potion suddenly changed colour form the silver-grey colour it had had before.  
  
"What did you do?!" said Lynn.  
  
"Nothing! I haven't touched, it just happened!" Neville exclaimed. Now the potion started bubbling heavily. "Uh oh..." A small explosion erupted from the cauldron, and a dark green, mushroom-shaped cloud emerged from the cauldron. Once the smoke had disappeared one could clearly see that Lynn's hair had been turned into snakes.  
  
"ARGH!" Lynn exclaimed. "That's twice in twenty-four hours!" Neville opened his mouth to say something, but all that was heard was croaking sound, as if he'd swallowed a toad. Malfoy and the other Slytherins laughed aloud at the whole thing.  
  
"Walsh and Longbottom, what happened?" said Fonvielle, who now had reached Lynn and Neville. "Did you not follow the instructions?"  
  
"I don't know, Professor, we followed the instructions to the letter," said Lynn. Neville croaked and nodded to say that she was telling the truth.  
  
"Well, I have never heard of this side effect when mixing this potion wrongly..." said Fonvielle. "But on the other hand, it can be explained pretty easily, can't it Mr Malfoy?" He looked at Malfoy through the corner of his eye. Malfoy stopped laughing. He was just about to open his mouth protest when Fonvielle spoke again. "Don't try and get yourself out of this. I saw you putting something into their potion when you went to get some extra gunpowder. One of my demands for my classes were order. Thirty points from Slytherin. Report for extra duties tonight at 7 o' clock. Bring gloves." Malfoy looked like he'd been hit with a petrifying charm. All the other students looked a bit shocked too. "Miss Walsh, Mr Longbottom, you are excused to got to the hospital wing. I'll send some work with your friends."  
  
"Thanks, Professor," said Lynn. Neville merely croaked. The two left the room. Fonvielle went over to the his desk, and then turned towards the class. Everyone still looked a bit shocked.  
  
"Is something wrong?" said Fonvielle.  
  
"Um... No, not at all, Professor," said Harry. "It's just that Slytherin's never got points deducted or giving extra duties during Potions before." Fonvielle looked surprised.  
  
"That you say, Mr Potter?" he said. "It surprises me. Despite how my predecessor might have done things, I will not conduct any kind of special treatment during my classes. I believe in giving everyone a change, if they deserve it. Now continue your work everyone." Fonvielle sat down and started writing something.  
  
"Maybe Potions won't be so bad this year after all," said Ron quietly to Harry and Hermione.  
  
  
  
The rest of the lesson went by swiftly, without any major incidents. When they were done Harry and the others went to the Defence Against the Dark Arts class room. Harry wanted to talk a little with Lupin before the lesson started. On their way there they ran into Lynn and Neville who now had been fully turned back into their normal selves. The group reached the class room one it was about five minutes left to the lesson. Lupin was writing something on the desk. Harry knocked on the open door. Lupin looked up, and then smiled.  
  
"Hello there, Harry," he said. "Nice seeing you again."  
  
"Likewise, Professor Lupin," said Harry.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't come and visit you last night," said Lupin, walking out form behind his desk. "I had to take my potion, hope you understand.  
  
"Of course," said Harry.  
  
"You found a better potion?" said Hermione, not managing to contain here curiosity any longer. Lupin smiled again.  
  
"What makes you say that, Hermione?" he said.  
  
"Well, for one you look...." said Hermione. "...look much healthier and more energetic."  
  
"Well spotted, Hermione," said Lupin. "Yes, you're correct in assuming that I have a better potion than before. It's actually so good, that I only have to be away for a day at full moon. In fact, it's nearly the same potion as the old one, but with one important difference.  
  
"And that is?" said Hermione.  
  
"Sugar," said Lupin. Hermione was about to speak, when Lupin interrupted her. "I know that Professor Snape said that it wouldn't work with sugar in it. Apparently, that is not the case. I discovered it by accident. In fact the potion is much more effective now.  
  
"Okay then," said Ron. "Now we know that. Now, Hermione, what was the thing about 'healthier and more energetic'?" He gave Hermione an impatient look.  
  
"What?" she said, looking like a live question mark. Then she realised what Ron was implying. "What?! Ron, I just said it because that's how it IS! Not for any other reason, if that's what you think!"  
  
"Ouch, that hurt a bit," said Lupin in a mock wounded tone.  
  
"So, you say that, Hermione?" said Ron.  
  
"YES, WHAT ELSE WOULD I SAY?!" screamed Hermione.  
  
"WELL, THAT'S A BLOODY GOOD QUESTION!" screamed Ron. The two started arguing. Now it was Lupin who looked like a live question mark.  
  
"Um... have I missed something?" he said a moment later. " You could say that..." said Harry, looking at Lupin.  
  
"Ron and Hermione's an item nowadays," said Lynn, also looking at Lupin.  
  
"Oh, well, that explains it," said Lupin with an amused smile. But now Ron and Hermione went quiet behind Harry, Lynn and Neville, who'd also turned towards Lupin. "Um..."  
  
"Well, that was fast," said Harry, not turning around.  
  
"What went fast?" said Lynn. She and Neville turned around. Ron and Hermione and had started kissing.  
  
"THAT went fast," said Harry, turning around.  
  
"Um... this happens a lot?" said Lynn. "Much too often as I'm in the room..." said Harry and sighed. He took out his wand and pointed towards Ron and Hermione. "Wingardium Leviosa." (A/N: Remember, swish and flick!) Ron and Hermione started hovering in the air, although, they didn't notice it. "Okay, let's try something else." Harry lowered his wand. Ron and Hermione stayed airborne just long enough to release their mouths from each other, and then they landed on the floor with a loud thud.  
  
"Ow!" said Ron. "Couldn't you've tried anything else?"  
  
"Well, making you float in the air didn't work," said Harry.  
  
"Yeah, well, I didn't notice anything until you dropped us," said Ron, standing up.  
  
"You didn't, huh?" said Harry. Now more students started entering the room. "Come on, we better get to our seats." Ron helped Hermione up, and the group sat down as the had the previous lesson, Harry, Ron and Hermione at one desk, and Lynn and Neville at another. Lupin stood in front of his desk, waiting for all students to get to their seats. Some students glanced quickly at him as they entered the room. But Lupin only smiled and waited for everyone.  
  
"Welcome to the first fifth-year class of Defence Against the Dark Arts," said Lupin, once everyone had sat down. "I hope you'll enjoy the lessons this year as much as I will. Today I thought we'd start with questions, and then a discussion about the dark Lord Voldemort's return." Many of the students flinched as he said the name. But Lupin didn't care and went on. "Now, do anyone have some of those questions?" Seamus put his hand up. "Yes, Seamus?"  
  
"It's not my question really, but my mom wanted me to ask," he said. "Um... she's wondering if you are, um... safe?" Seamus looked like he was expecting Lupin to have some kind of fit, almost looking ready to leap up from his seat and run as fast as he could out trough the door. But Lupin just smiled.  
  
"I assume that Seamus mother isn't the only parent asking the same thing?" he said. About half the class, including Neville, nodded. "Write to your parents that there's absolutely no reason for them to be concerned about me. And if they don't take my word for it, they can get the same reassurance from Headmaster Dumbledore." The students seemed happy with this answer, and relaxed a bit. If even Dumbledore backed up Lupin it had to be safe.  
  
"Sorry to even ask, Professor," said Seamus. "But you know how mothers can be..."  
  
"Yes I do, Seamus, and it's quite alright," said Lupin. "It's better to check things too much, than too little." Hermione seemed to grow in her seat at the last part. "What else is concerning my ailment (A/N: Right word?), I'll only be away a day around full moon, so your studies shouldn't suffer from it."  
  
  
  
There was some more questions, but they soon went on to the discussion about Voldemort.  
  
"Now, as you all know, Voldemort has indeed returned," said Lupin. Flinching of students again. "Now, Harry, you didn't hear it but Headmaster Dumbledore announced it last night after you'd left. First off I want to tell everyone, as Headmaster Dumbledore did last night, that there's no place safer for you to be than Hogwarts."  
  
"What about spies?" said Dean. "We had a false Moody here last year."  
  
"All necessary precautions have been taken," said Lupin. "You all know of the new passwords, and that they will changed regularly. But there is also many safety measures that you students don't know of. And for the time being it will stay that way."  
  
"Because of the supporters of You-Know-Who in Slytherin, right?" said Seamus.  
  
"First off, Seamus, there are no such people in Slytherin, at least whom which I am aware of" said Lupin. "But yes, it's because we're not entirely sure about which who are supporters of, and perhaps even are helping Voldemort." Students flinching. "More about the safety measures, not even the teachers know of all of them. Only Headmaster Dumbledore knows that. So you're quite safe here from Voldemort." Flinch.  
  
"Does he have to say that name.?" said Ron quietly, being one of the flinching students.  
  
"Ron?" said Harry.  
  
"Yeah, Har?" said Ron.  
  
"Shut up," said Harry.  
  
  
  
After the lesson was done it was time for Lunch.  
  
"So far it's a promising year in terms of lessons," said Hermione.  
  
"Mmm," it came from Ron, eating a mouthful of mashed potatoes.  
  
"And Malfoy FINALLY got points deducted in Potions!" said Lynn. "I sooooo enjoyed that..."  
  
"What? Malfoy got punished in Potions?!" said Ginny, now sitting down next to Lynn. Harry saw that Malfoy looked towards them, irritated. Harry chuckled.  
  
"Yeah, Fonvielle wouldn't have any of his antics," said Ron. "He gave him extra duties too. Probably something messy." Ron showed a smug smile.  
  
"So Fonvielle seems okay then?" said Ginny.  
  
"Yeah," said Lynn. "Well, he's a lot like Snape, except not such a biased git."  
  
"Okay, that's something..." said Ginny.  
  
"You have Potions tomorrow, right?" said Harry.  
  
"Yeah," said Ginny. "You guys got Care of Magical Creatures next, right?"  
  
"Yeah," said Ron. "You had it this morning, right? How's Zemeckare like?"  
  
"Well... you have to say he's got his own style..." said Ginny, a slight smile on his face.  
  
"Meaning?" said Neville, a bit worried.  
  
"You'll see..." said Ginny.  
  
  
  
"So, you've memorised her schedule...?" said Lynn in a teasing tone as the group were on their way to the next lesson.  
  
"Huh?" said Harry.  
  
"Ginny's schedule, you've memorised it," said Lynn. Ron and Hermione quickly exchanged glances. "Or at least I assume you have since you remembered that she has-"  
  
"-Potions tomorrow?" said Harry. "Just remembered someone saying it, that's all."  
  
"Oh, did you now?" said Lynn. Harry went a bit ahead of the group. They went out through a door and down the staircase into the grounds. Lynn caught up with Harry. "You know, I couldn't help but notice that Ginny's changed during the summer..."  
  
"Oh, really?" said Harry.  
  
"You know, looking a bit more grown up, more like her age and such..." said Lynn.  
  
"I really haven't noticed," said Harry.  
  
"Oh, come on Harry, no boy's that blind!" said Lynn.  
  
"Guess I must be," said Harry.  
  
"You're in love with her, aren't you?" said Lynn after a few seconds silence. Harry didn't answer. "If it's Ron being your friend that's holding you back, I'm sure he'll accept it over time." Harry sighed.  
  
"It's not Ron holding me back," said Harry. "It's me..." Now they reached the area for the class. The Slytherins were already there. Harry quickly stepped away from Lynn and stood next to Ron. Lynn gave Malfoy a deadly glare, who gave her a cold glare back. Lynn went over to stand next to Hermione.  
  
"Do you know what's wrong with Harry?" said Lynn quietly. "It's obvious he likes Ginny, why won't he just admit it?"  
  
"Well, about that, Ron told me something last night tha-" said Hermione, but interrupted herself when Professor Zemeckare approached the class. At least they thought it was Zemeckare. He was wearing something that looked liked some sort of a baggy over-all. It was completely sealed, with net covering the face, the net itself attached to a hat.  
  
"Good day, class!" said a loud and friendly voice from inside the net. "Nice to see you all here!"  
  
"Um...Professor Zemeckare, is that you?" said Hermione.  
  
"Aye, of course it's me, why shou- Oh, right! The suit!" said Zemeckare, and took of the hat with the net hanging down from it. "There, now you all don't look as chequered as a kilt either!" He laughed. "Welcome to your first lesson in Care of Magical Creatures, or rather your first lesson in your fifth year. Now I know that you haven't figured me out yet, and that's alright 'cause I haven't figured you out either. As for starters I can tell you that I don't bite. Ya see, that's what the animals are for."  
  
Neville whimpered. "I'm only kidding, boy, calm down! Further on as an introduction I hope we'll have a fun year of classes together. As for today's lesson, I guess a bit curious about why I have this suit on, eh? Anyone care to take a guess what it is?" Ron put up a hand.  
  
"A protection suit," he said.  
  
"Aye, that's right, but for what?" said Zemeckare. Lynn put her hand up.  
  
"Insects?" she said.  
  
"Aye, aye, getting warmer...anyone?" said Zemeckare. No one raised their hand, not even Hermione(!). "Okay then, it's a bee farmer suit!"  
  
"You farm bees...?" said Ron.  
  
"You sort of farm them to get to their honey!" said Zemeckare. "You have the suit to protect yourself from their stings."  
  
"Stings...?" said Neville, nervously.  
  
"Don't worry, it's completely safe, I've taken extra precautions," said Zemeckare. "But these aren't ordinary bees. Since this is Care of MAGICAL creatures, these are giant bees!" At once a steady level of murmuring broke out amongst the group.  
  
"We can't have a lesson with giant bees!" said Malfoy loudly. "They're sting are three inches long!"  
  
"Actually, the stings're about eight inches long when they're not retracted," said Zemeckare.  
  
"Wait a sec, how big are these bees?" said Ron.  
  
"Oh, about three to four feet long. It's different from bee to bee," said Zemeckare.  
  
"Oh, great..." said Ron.  
  
"But as I said earlier I've taken precautions, so there's no need to be worried!" said Zemeckare. "The bees are in a continued area, and the suits are extra strong so that they won't be able to sting ya. And since the bees are a bit strong we have lead boots for you all."  
  
"Why the le-" said Ron.  
  
"So we won't fly of along with the bees..." said Hermione.  
  
"Ah," said Ron.  
  
"That's right, my dear," said Zemeckare, indicating Hermione. "Another thing with the bees are that they're part of a project going on all year. We're going to take care of them and towards the summer, make honey of our own! We are of course going to work with other animals too. But let's get you all suited up and get to work! Come on everybody!" Zemeckare started walking away towards a shed. The group sighed (except for Malfoy who scoffed) and followed Zemeckare.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Again, so very sorry about not updating until now! I've been so busy with school and all, that I haven't found the time to translate the text into English. But now the chapters will be closer together, and even more so when I finish my other fic "What the hell is a tricorder?". The chapters will probably become shorter though. For those of you also reading WTHIAT, I will have a chapter up soon. I just had to give my fans of this fic some luvin too!  
  
My intention in starting this fic was to get it done before the fifth book was released. Well, now the fifth book is released on June 21st, so my goal looks less likely. But I'll continue my story anyway. It's my version of Harry's fifth year, and it represents how I would like it to be. I would never try to imitate J.K.R.  
  
The new Gryffindor password read backwards is of course theonering (The One Ring) referring to Lord of the Rings.  
  
About Lynn and her sister beating up their brothers: it's there for comic relief mostly. I'm not a huge fan of violence, but on the other hand I don't say no to friendly banter which sometimes can turn ugly...  
  
Making Zemeckare Scottish (which he is unless you picked it up) was a decision I made at last minute. I think it turned out pretty good.  
  
  
  
And now, the classic review comments:  
  
caitlin - Thank you! Hope you enjoy this chapter too.  
  
Brittany - Thanks! Well, I've updated now!  
  
Jessika Organa Solo - Yup, he sure is a ghost! Thank you!  
  
dementorchic - Yes, a VERY slow chapter it turned out... Seems this fic fits your favourite type then, huh? Oh, God yes, the love triangle is very much the real thing. I've had it happen to me a few times even, and not with the best of results... Yeah, I didn't do that, since it would be so sudden. IF (and that's a big IF) he should become extra powerful it should be in his seventh year. And now you are able to read more of it!  
  
kat - Well, read on, and thanks!  
  
Angel St. James - Yup, he sure is. Aw, sorry, I can't tell you if he does, since it would give away how the fic ends! I actually think Cho seems okay. I can understand why Harry likes her.  
  
  
  
Now, review!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Emher 


	7. Chapter 7 Concerning Quidditch

A/N: The seventh chapter arrives!

Disclaimer: How many times do I have to tell you: I DON'T OWN THIS STUFF!!!

Chapter 7. Concerning Quidditch

Ginny was sitting in the Gryffindor common room, studying Transfiguration. Except for her there were a few students in the room, including Colin Creevey who was apparently cleaning his camera. Now the portrait hole opened.

'Here they come...' thought Ginny. The Gryffindor fifth years entered. They all seemed pretty tired. Neville had a slightly terrified look on his face, and went straight up to the dormitory. Harry and Lynn sat down in the couch. Ron and Hermione shared an armchair.

"Just done?" said Ginny. The others nodded. "What do you think of Zemeckare?" The others were silent for a few seconds.

"He's like a shorter, less hairier, Scottish, bee-obsessed Hagrid…" said Harry.

"That about sums it up," said Ron. "There was a few close calls with the bees..."

"What happened?" said Ginny.

"Neville had to dodge one of them," said Ron. "Otherwise he would've been decapitated."

"Oh, stop it!" said Hermione. "Zemeckare wouldn't risk our safety like that, he's a teacher! Besides the overalls were pretty strong." She looked towards the dormitory stairs. "Can't help but feeling sorry for Neville though..."

"Yeah," said Ron. "Speaking 'bout Neville, do you thinks he's gonna try out for the Quidditch team this year? Since he learned to fly and all." Harry had been checking his bag for a book, and looked up. Everyone was looking at him. "You should know Harry."

"Give it a rest, will ya'?" said Harry. "I not going to be quidditch captain."

"I was more referring to your experience with playing Quidditch," said Ron. "But thank you for letting us now you're thinking about it." Ron smiled smugly. Harry gave him a glare.

"Well, I  haven't seen Neville fly yet so I can't say anything," he said. "And stop looking so damn smug..."

About twenty minutes later Lynn went up do the dormitory. Hermione notice that she, Ron, Harry and Ginny were almost the only ones left in the room. She closed her book as soon as the last persons left, got up, and grabbed Ron's arm and dragged up out the chair.

"Come on, Ron, I need to show you something," said Hermione.

"Wha-? Um...okay," said Ron, allowing himself to dragged along. As soon as they'd left the room Hermione grinned over what she just had accomplished. Harry and Ginny were now alone in the common room. Ginny had realised what Hermione had done, and was grateful and angry at the same time. Harry looked at Ginny. She looked back.

'He just looking at me... I wonder what he's thinking,' thought Ginny. 'Oh, please, pleasity, please let him be admiring me or something...' She looked back into her book, a light smile on her face. 

'God, she's beautiful,' Harry thought, admiring how her hair seemed to just flow down Ginny's neck onto her shoulders, shimmering a bit in the different colours of the enchanted fire. How her cheeks were a delicate shade of pink, how her lips were forming that cute smile, how- 

"Um...Harry, could you help me with this?" said Ginny, snapping Harry from his thoughts.

"Um...sure," said Harry. Ginny got up and sat down next to him. Harry's heart rate jumped up a few beats a minute. "What is it?"

"Transfiguration," said Ginny. She started explaining her problem, Harry helping her as much as he could.

"Tehehehe! I'm so devious sometimes!" giggled Hermione in her private prefect room.

"Yeah, but are you sure it will work?" said Ron, having been let in on Hermione's improvised plan. "I mean, what if they just sit there?"

"I don't think so," said Hermione. "Ginny's smart enough to seize an opportunity when she gets one."

It was getting late. Harry and Ginny were still studying. Ginny yawned.

"Maybe we should stop, you're tired," said Harry.

"No, let's continue, I'll rest when I'm dead," said Ginny. Harry smiled.

"Okay, if you say so..." he said. They continued studying. After a while Ginny leaned against Harry, who paused for a second. "Um...sure you not to sleepy?"

"No, I'm okay..." said Ginny, sounding sleepy indeed. They continued. After a while Harry noticed that he wasn't getting the acknowledging 'Uh-huh's, 'Mmm's and 'Sure's from Ginny.

"Ginny?" he asked. No response. He leaned over a bit to see her face. Her eyes were closed. She was sleeping. Harry didn't quite know what to do. He didn't want to wake her, so he stayed there Ginny leaned against him. He started admiring her beauty again. Now the colour of the flames in the fire changed into a very dark, almost black colour. Harry looked to the fireplace. 

'Hm... Never seen it do that before...' he thought. He looked back at Ginny. He had to fight an urge to start, so that he wouldn't wake her. Her hair looked almost black in the strange light from the flames. 'Black...like Cho's... Damn it, why did I have to think about her...?' Harry got up slowly, putting Ginny gently down upon the couch. Ginny woke just in time to see him walk up the stairs towards his dormitory. He didn't see her wake up. Ginny looked down at a strand of her hair, hanging down it front of her face. It still looked black. Ginny looked towards the stairs Harry had gone up. The flames in the fire turned blue.

"So, how did it go?" said Hermione, sitting down next to Ginny at breakfast. Harry wasn't down in the hall yet. Ginny looked surprise at Hermione's question. "I mean last night with Harry?" Ginny realised that Hermione had planned leaving Harry and her alone.

"Sort of good," said Ginny.

"Such as?" said Hermione.

"Well...I, um...fell asleep," said Ginny. "More precisely fell asleep while leaning against Harry..." Ginny blushed and poked around her porridge with her spoon.

"That's great!" said Hermione. "That has to have got his attention."

"Yeah, I think so, but..." said Ginny. "When I woke up, Harry was going up to his dormitory. First I figured he'd left because he was tired, but then I saw my hair..."

"What about your hair?" said Hermione.

"The flames in the fire had changed colour so that somehow, my hair looked almost black," said Ginny. She looked up into Hermione's face. Hermione looked like she was realising what Ginny was trying to say. "Hermione, answer me honestly: do Harry still like Cho?" Hermione nodded after a moment. Ginny's heart fell. She sighed heavily. "So...there really is no hope for the two of us?" Hermione clasped her hand.

"There's always hope," said Hermione, a light smile on her face. "I'll try and talk with Harry." Ginny nodded.

"Okay," she said.

Harry was on his way down to breakfast. He was alone since he hadn't waited for Ron. Just before Harry entered the Great Hall he heard a voice.

"Harry?" said a voice. Harry stopped and turned towards the voice. There stood Cho.

"Cho," said Harry. "What is it?" She walked up to him.

"I wanted to talk to you," she said. "Cedric and I had a long talk the other night and..." She paused for a moment. "You know, when he died, I was so sad and depressed. And angry. I, um..."

"Blamed me for him dying," said Harry. "I know."

"Yes... It's just that... I don't blame you anymore," said Cho. "When Cedric and I talked, he made me realise that there really wasn't anything you could've done. That's all I wanted you to know." She gave him a peck on the cheek. "See you around."

"Um...yeah, sure," said Harry, a bit shocked. Cho went down one of the corridors. Harry looked at her until she turned a corner. He touched his cheek. Then he sighed and went into the Great Hall. He sat down across the table from Hermione and Ginny.

"Morning, Harry," said Hermione.

"Morning," said Harry, looking down at his food.

"You okay?" said Ginny, uncertain as to what the answer would be. He looked up a bit, but not directly a Ginny.

"I'm fine..." he said. Ginny and Hermione exchanged glances. Ron came into the hall and sat down next to Harry.

"Morning everyone," he said.

"Morning, dear," said Hermione. Ron looked at Hermione, did a subtle nod towards Harry and glanced quickly at Ginny, and then looked back at Hermione again. Hermione gave him a look that said 'I'll tell you later.' Neither Ginny nor Harry had noticed any of this.

After having eaten breakfast Harry and Ron went up to Divination. The climbed the ladder and sat into two arm-chairs around a table. Professor Treelawney emerged, looking more bug-like than ever. After greeting the class she started with the usual predictions.

"You," she said in her misty voice when looking at Neville, whom started in his arm-chair. "You will experience something very painful, very soon."

"Oh no," said Neville, whimpered, and backed his arm-chair against the wall. Although, upon doing so, he knocked down a crystal ball on a shelf, which bounced down into his head, and then down into his crotch. Neville doubled up in pain.

"Ow! That's gotta hurt!" said Seamus, sympathising with Neville.

"I did warn you, dear..." said Treelawney, feeling a bit sorry for Neville. "Could someone please take him to the hospital wing?" Harry and Ron saw their chance in getting away, and was about to speak up when...

"I'll take him, Professor," said Dean.

"Thank you, dear," said Treelawney. 

"Damn!" said Ron, disguising it as a cough.

Dean helped Neville up, and then down the ladder. "Now, to continue..." She looked around a bit, and stopped at Harry.

'Here it comes...' he thought.

"Don't say it: I'm going to die a horrible Death," said Harry, seriously getting tired of the whole thing.

"Yes, I'm afraid so," said Treelawney mournfully.

'Only third year in row she's predicted that...' thought Harry. 'Be strong, you need the grades, you need the grades, you need the grades...'

"Ah, but there is more," she said in an even mistier and mysterious voice than before. "You will have problem's with a woman with red hair, and one with black hair. Towards the end of the year you should watch out for a pale man, pale in both hair and appearance."

"You do get around, Harry. First TWO girls, then Malfoy? I seriously never thought you were like that..." said Dean jokingly, sighing and shaking his head sympathetically.

"Shut up, Dean," said Harry, although he found it rather funny.

'Oh great, now Lavender and Parvati know about Ginny and Cho,' thought Harry. 'Why don't Treelawney just call it out in the great hall? And why on Earth is she so obsessed with hair anyway?'

"I also see something I've seen before in your future," said Treelawney, ignoring Dean.

'Gee, you mean except me dying?' thought Harry.

"The Grim," said Treelawney. Lavender and Parvati gasped.

'Good, then I know Sirius will come visit me,' thought Harry. Treelawney looked at Ron.

"You will go through a challenge, but the outcome will not be that which you expect..." said Treelawney. "Now, let's get to work." She walked away to get some things. Lavender and Parvati whispered, giggling once in a while and looking towards Harry.

'Grades, grades, grades, grades, grades, grades...' thought Harry.

The week went by. Harry pretty much avoided both Ginny and Cho. He had other things on his mind for the time being. Soon it was Saturday. Time to select the new Captain and to fill the empty positions in the team. Harry got into his Quidditch clothes and gear, grabbed his Firebolt, and walked down towards the Quidditch field. He went out into the field where Fred, George, Angelina, Alicia and Katie were waiting. They all looked very serious.

"Hi guys," said Harry. They didn't answer. "Um...something wrong?"

"How dare you show up here like that?" said George.

"Huh?" said Harry.

"Your not properly dressed," said Angelina.

"Not properly- Hey, this is the right gear fo-" said Harry.

"We're not talking about your clothes," said Fred. "We're talking about this." Fred gave him a box. Harry looked at them all strangely, and then opened the box. Inside was a patch saying 'Captain'. Harry looked up, surprised. The others were grinning broadly. "Congrats, Harry!"

"Or rather, Gryffindor Quidditch Captain Harry!" said Alicia.

"Wha- How- Why- What?" said Harry. "You can't make me Captain!"

"You even know how you make someone Captain?" said George. Harry didn't answer. "Well, the team members each vote which they think should be Captain, and then the one who gets the most votes win!"

"But I never got to vote," said Harry.

"That's because we all met and decided that you should be best for the job," said Katie.

"Based on what?" said Harry.

"I and George can't be Captain, neither of us," said Fred.

"To much organisation!" said George.

"We're just in it for the fun!" said Fred, grinning.

"In fact, no one of us can be Captain," said Angelina. "We're all in our last year, and it's pretty pointless to be Captain for only a year. Therefore, I hereby promote you too Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, effective immediately." She attached the 'Captain' patch to his Quidditch robe. Harry looked down at the patch. He looked up at the others.

"Um...first of all: wow," he said. "Secondly: thanks everyone!"

"Aw, you'll make us blush..." said Fred.

"I'm not going to cry..." said George and wiped away an imagined tear. 

"You deserve it," said Alicia.

Harry remembered something.

"Come on, we gotta get ready for the tryouts," he said.

Half an hour later the people wanting to try out were standing on the field. The Quidditch team were up in one of the viewing towers. Lee was up there with them so that he could call out which one was next up. Angelina, Alicia and Katie were flying over the flying on their broomsticks. They had large bags with seven quaffles in them each, the bags charmed too be light. When trying out the new players the girls should fly around and try to throw the quaffles into the hoops. The more the players managed to stop, the better. If they caught all twenty-one quaffles they would probably become the new keeper.

"Right, who's first?" said Harry.

"It's-" said Lee, but was interrupted by someone calling. Harry looked around. Then he spotted a group of people in another of the viewing towers on the opposite side of the field.

"What. Is. That?" he asked. Fred took out a pair of omniculars. After a moment he chuckled. "What?" Fred gave him the omniculars.

"It appears that our new Quidditch Captain already has a fanclub," said Fred. Harry saw that in the viewing tower Lavender, Parvati and a group of fourth and third year Gryffindor girls were standing. They had plaques and signs saying things like 'Potter rules!' and...

"'All hail Captain Potter!'?" said Harry. He lowered the omniculars and looked at the others. "Does anyone of you happen to know exactly HOW they knew that I was Captain before I knew?"

"You know, I just might have let it slip the other night..." said George.

"Personally, I'm relieved," said Fred. "I mean, at least Ginny's not among them."

"GO HARRY, GO!!!" called someone of the 'Captain Potter fanclub'. Harry could see that Angelina, Alicia and Katie giggled at this. Fred and George barely contained themselves from laughing. Harry sighed.

"Let's...just get on with it..." said Harry.

"Right," said Lee and started calling out names for the keeper position. 

Some of the applicants were pretty good, some were not.

"Not too bad, " said Harry after third-year girl called Amy Khondji had tried out. She had missed only two quaffles and those were the two extremely difficult throws. "Who's next?" Lee chuckled.

"Next applicant: Neville Longbottom," he called out. Down on the field Neville stepped forward.

"Is this so good?" said George. "I mean, it's Neville!"

"Hermione said she'd be ready with some healing charm..." said Harry. He saw that Hermione looked up top the tower. She and Harry looked at each other. Hermione nodded. Neville kicked of the ground. Everyone became silent and waited with tension as to how badly Neville would fail.

A few minutes later pretty much everyone were totally stunned. Neville had turned out to be an exceptional flyer and keeper, not missing even one of the quaffles. Harry's jaw had dropped along with pretty much anyone watching the whole thing. Even the 'We love Potter' fanclub was quiet.

"George?" said Fred.

"Yes, Fred?" said George.

"Punch me," said Fred.

"Why?" said George, snapping from his amazement a bit.

"Because I don't think pinching me will be enough..." said Fred. Neville landed. He saw the looks upon the faces of the group standing on the ground.

"Um...was it good?" he said. Everyone nodded in unison.

"Well, I guess we have our new keeper," said Harry. "Lee, continue calling out the names anyway. Just to be on the safe side."

"Okay," said Lee. "Jonathan Newman."

After a while they got to W in the list.

"Ronald Weasley," Lee called out.

"Damn..." said Harry quietly.

"What?" asked George.

"I would've hoped that he wouldn't try for the position," said Harry. "In case he's not good, I have to turn him down. In that case he might get a bit grouchy..."

"I understand you, I don't like him trying out either," said Fred.

"Really?" said Harry.

"Yeah, the little traitor should've tried out to be a beater reserve..." said Fred.

"Alas, the respect of the elderly is low this day, brother..." said George. 

"True, brother, all too true," said Fred.

Ron tried out, and missed five quaffles.

"That's the end of the list," said Lee to Harry.

"Okay," said Harry. He turned to Fred and George. "There's really only one choice: Neville." Fred and George nodded. 

"And as reserve?" said Fred.

"The third-year girl, Amy Khondji," said Harry. "She's not perfect, but with some training I think she could improve. Okay, reserve chaser are up next, right?"

"Yeah," said Lee. He started calling the names out. Their tests manly contained of chasing Angelina, Alicia and Katie around the field, and trying to take the quaffle from them. As with the keepers they had some good and some bad tryouts. "Okay, just one left: Ginny Weasley."

"What?!" said Harry, surprised. "She's trying out?!"

"Something wrong with that, Harry?" said George.

"No, of course not," said Harry, composing himself a bit. "Just didn't expect it." Fred and George exchanged glances that said 'Riiiiiight, sure.' Ginny began her tryout. And was actually good. Very good. After the tryout was done Angelina, Alicia and Katie landed and came up into the tower. "Okay, chasers reserves are as following: Emma Craig, Sofie Lucas and Ginny Weasley. You okay with that?"

"Yes, those were our choices too," said Angelina.

"Good," said Harry. "Okay, beaters then."

"Our time to shine, brother," said George. He and Fred went down the stairs and onto the field. The beater tryouts consisted of Fred and George beating dummy-bludgers (because of safety) towards the person trying out, and the person would try to hit the bludgers into rings moving around the field. The two people who were best was selected and then went up against Fred and George as a team. If they co-operated well enough they had they're new beater reserves.

"David McFadden and Peter Boyd, right?" said Fred once they had finished the tryouts and come up into the tower again. Harry nodded.

"Yeah, they're the best and can co-operate too," he said.

"No wonder they can co-operate, they're best friends," said Alicia.

"Really? I didn't know that," said harry. "And how do you know it? I didn't think you socialised with the third-years?"

"I know Boyd's older sister in Rawenclaw," said Alicia.

"Ready to call out the winners then?" said Lee. Harry nodded. "Here he is, Gryffindor quidditch Captain: Harry Potter!" Harry stepped forward. Everyone on the field looked up towards him, and there was a sudden surge of cheering from the 'Potter Worshipers fanclub'. Harry rolled his eyes. He didn't look behind him, but he swore that everyone in the team plus Lee was barely able to contain themselves. He sighed.

"Good day, nice to see so many here watching, and that so many tried out," he said. "After hard consideration, we've decide who the new keeper and the new reserves will be. Do keep in mind that the reserves for the chasers and beaters will take of these positions next year. The new keeper is: Neville Longbottom!" Everyone clapped, some cheered. Neville locked absolutely stunned. He snapped put of it a bit when Dean and Seamus patted him hard on the back.

"Well done, Neville!" said Dean.

"T-Thanks!" said Neville.

"The reserve keeper is: Amy Khondji!" Harry called out. Clapping and cheering again. Someone who seemed to be her best friend hugged her, cheering. "On to the chasers then. The new reserve chasers are as following: Emma Craig, Sofie Lucas and Ginny Weasley!" Clapping and cheering. Harry saw that Ginny's eyes went wide. She looked at Harry and mouthed 'Me?'. Harry nodded, a light smile on his face. Hermione cheered and hugged Ginny.

"Well done, Ginny!" said Hermione.

"Great job sis!" said Ron.

"Thanks!" said Ginny, still a bit stunned.

"And now, the reserve beaters," said Harry. "They are as following: David McFadden and Peter Boyd!" Cheering and clapping again. A girl in Rawenclaw robes hugged Boyd. "That's it for today. Look forward to seeing you at the first game!" Harry stepped back.

"Ladies and gentleman give it up for the Captain!" Lee called out. Everyone cheered and clapped again.

"Harry!" called someone once Harry had come down from the tower. He looked towards the voice. There stood Ginny, grinning broadly.

"Ginny," said Harry. She threw her arms around him. Harry tried to say something, but merely stuttered.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you SO MUCH for selecting me for the team!" she said.

"W-well, it, uh...it wasn't all my decision," said Harry. "I, um, mean, the girls had som-"

"Don't listen to him, Ginny," said Angelina, coming down the stairs from the tower. "It was his decision. Right, girls?"

"Yes," said Alicia.

"Absolutely," said Katie.

"Well, see you later, Captain," said Angelina, and left along with Alicia and Katie. Ginny still hadn't let go of Harry. The two looked at each other, something that didn't take much effort since they're faces weren't that much apart.

"Um...glad you're happy to be in the team," said Harry. "Eh...training tomorrow morning." Ginny noticed on the tone of his voice that he felt a bit awkward about her hugging him. The fact that he still hadn't hugged her back enforced this. She let go of him.

"Well, see you later then," she said. "Bye." She started walking away.

"Bye," said Harry. "Ginny..." he added quietly as soon as she was out of earshot.

"So," said a voice. Harry turned towards the voice. It was Ron, with Hermione beside him. "How does it feel do be Captain?" Harry smiled.

"Pretty good actually," he said. "By the way, I have a job for you."

"Really?" said Ron. "What is that?"

"I don't exactly know if I can decide this, but I would like you to become the new Quidditch commentator," said Harry. "If it's not up to me, I'll try and talk to whomever is deciding it."

"Thanks, but, uh...we already have a commentator," said Ron.

"Yes, but this is Lee's last year," said Harry. "Both of you could be commentators this year, and then next year you'll do it yourself. Come on, what do you say?" Harry put forward his right hand.

"It's a deal, Captain," said Ron, shaking Harry's hand.

"Great, now I'm totally surrounded but Quidditch nuts..." said Hermione.

"Hey!" said Ron.

"Aw, you know I'm only joking!" said Hermione. "I'm happy for the both of you." They someone calling, and turned to the voice. The fanclub was coming towards them form the other side of the field. "Uh oh..."

"Um... Run!" said Harry. He, Ron and Hermione started running up towards the castle, laughing a bit at the absurdity of running from a group of teenage girls with plaques and signs.

A/N: Got the new chapter up a bit quicker than the last one, eh? The chapter name is inspired by LOTR, where the original name was "Concerning Hobbits".

Now, you'll notice that there was some new people in this chapter. Here follows the list:

Jonathan Newman - Named after Star Trek' Jonathan Frakes (Commander Riker on TNG) and composer Thomas Newman (The Shawshank Redemption, American Beatuy).

Amy Khondji - Named after the great cinematographer Darius Khondji (Se7en, The Beach).

Emma Craig - Named after the brilliant Emma Watson, all ours Hermione Granger!

Sofie Lucas - Actually the first name of a charachter in an upcoming fic about my own character Michael Walsh. More exaclty, she's the love interest of Michael. But as the characther, and the influence too it, changed, I changed the name to Kate.

David McFaddden - Named after Star Trek's Gates McFadden (Dr. Crusher on TNG).

Peter Boyd - Named after Billy Boyd, who plays a perfect Pippin Took in LOTR!

Review comments:

¤Canadian¤Gurl¤ - Thank you. I thoguht bringing Cedric back would add some tension, and to make Cho be able to get some closure on the matter. Aw, I wish I could tell you who he picks, but I cant't, 'cause that would give it all away! :p  *GASP!* No favourite movie?! It's okay, I was like that once too. There are just som many great ones that its' hard to pick just one, right?

anon - Thank you! I've actually taking your word into thought on all my fics, and started skipping the author's notes withing the text.

dementorchic - Glad you stayed on this long! Yeeees, triangles are fun :D

U1 - My cousin, who totally agrees that making Zemeckare Scottish was the right thing to do. And he thinks that it would REALLY hurt to get stinged by those giant bees...

Until next time,

Emher


	8. Chapter 8 Birthday

A/N: At long last the eight chapter arrives!

Disclaimer: Seriously, dudes: I DON'T OWN THIS STUFF!!!

Chapter 8. Birthday

Harry sat at a table in the Gryffindor common room, sketching at some Quidditch strategies. About an hour ago he talked with McGonnagall about Ron becoming the new commentator. He thought he'd done quite well, and McGonnagall had promised to take it up with Dumbledore.

"How's it going?" said Ron, standing next to him. Harry crumpled the paper and threw it into a trashcan about nine feet away.

"I'm having some moderate success," he said. "That's the first paper in five minutes that I've thrown away." He sighed. "And I thought that talking with McGonnagall was tough... Anyway, what's on your mind?" Ron looked around the room, and then sat down beside Harry.

"You know that Hermione's birthday is coming up," said Ron quietly. "Are you in on throwing a surprise party for her?"

"Sure, just tell me when and where," said Harry. "Wait a sec, aren't there going to be the usual celebration for her? You know with all of us?"

"Yeah, there is, but I was thinking for of a private party," said Ron.

"Okay," said Harry. "Well, I'm in on that too." Hermione entered the common with Lynn. "Quick. Go before they see that you talked with me." Ron got up. Hermione and Lynn were still talking. Ron saw Neville sitting in one of the arm-chairs near the fire. He quickly dashed over to him before Hermione noticed. Harry chuckled as he saw Ron acting like he was some kind of ninja, sneaking silently through the shadows. He landed silently on the couch next to Neville.

"What's up, Neville?" said Ron, making Neville jump a bit.

"R-Ron! I didn't see you there...!" said Neville. "It's a letter to Wood, I was wondering if he could give me some advice about playing as a keeper."

"Hey, that's smart, why didn't I think of that..." said Ron. Then he quickly looked towards Hermione to see if she was looking their way. She wasn't. Ron looked at Neville again. "We're throwing a party for Hermione, a private party besides the normal celebration. You in?"

"Sure," said Neville.

"Good," said Ron and got up. He turned towards Hermione ho had just stopped talking with Lynn. "Sweetheart!" he then exclaimed and skipped over to her. "How are you this evening?"

"I'm just fine, Ron," said Hermione. "Um...you okay?"

"Sure, terrific!" said Ron.

'Ladies and Gentlemen, the price for the worst "Acting-as-nothing-happened-or-is-in-the-works"-act goes to Mr Ronald Weasley!' thought Harry, who was barely able to contain himself.

"O...kay..." said Hermione. "I and Lynn have some studying to do, so I'll see you later then." One could almost hear all the eve-brows in the room arching. "Go back to what you were doing!" Hermione and Lynn left the room. Harry burst out laughing once he was sure they were out of ear-shot.

"What?" said Ron

"You seriously need some acting lessons, Ron!" he managed to say through the fits of laughter.

"Oh, come on!" said Ron. "There's no way she suspected something!"

"He's up to something," said Lynn.

"Lord don't I know it..." said Hermione. They entered into Hermione's private chamber. "You wouldn't happen to know anything?"

"Me? No," said Lynn honestly. True, Ron hadn't talked to her yet. But she was sure to do it. But since he hadn't, Lynn truly didn't know anything. Hermione looked at her for a second.

"Come on, we got to study," she then said.

Harry crumpled the paper he wrote on, closed his fist around it, banged the fist three times on the table, and threw away the crumpled paper into the trashcan. He banged his head down on the table, and sighed heavily.

"You okay?" said a voice.

"Right now I feel as smart as a troll..." said Harry. He looked up. There stood Angelina, an amused expression upon her face. "Don't have any advice I suppose?" She sat down beside him.

"You remember how Wood was so tense before the game when we won the Quidditch cup?" said Angelina. Harry smiled.

"Yeah," he said

"Would it surprise you to know that when he became Quidditch Captain he had absolutely no idea what to do?" said Angelina. "Oh, he knew a lot about Quidditch, but still he had no idea of how to organise and to give orders. Once he told me that he just learned as he went along."

"So...I shouldn't worry, then?" said Harry.

"Exactly!" said Angelina. "Take some rest, turn in early. After you've slept everything will become much clearer." She gave him a cheerful pat on the shoulder, smiled, stood up and walked away.

'Everything, huh?' thought Harry. 'Somehow I'm not convinced of that...' He gathered up his stuff and went towards the stairs. Halfway up, he met Ginny. They stared at each other for a moment. A thousand things of things he could say flashed through Harry's mind. Then he suddenly hurried past Ginny, up the stairs. Ginny stood there, looking towards were Harry had went up. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid...'

"I wonder if banging your head repeatedly gives you permanent brain damage?" said Harry.

"Probably," said Ron, taking another spoonful of his corn flakes. Harry on the other hand banged his head down on the table. They were down at breakfast. They were the only ones so far in their year to come down from the dorm, and Ginny wasn't there either.

"Ouch..." he said.

"You know, brain damage is a pretty valid reason of not banging your head repeatedly," said Ron.

"I know..." said Harry. He sat straight up. "Ow...but I can't think of any Quidditch tactics..." Ron put his spoon down.

"Harry, are you sure this really is about Quidditch," said Ron.

"What do you mean?" said Harry.

"You've been playing it for four years, won one Cup even," said Ron. "There's probable something else you're worried about."

"Yeah...it's something else all right..." said Harry. Ron seemed to catch on, remembering Harry's predicament. He looked down into his corn flakes. They where quiet for a while. 

"Harry, look, I-" said Ron, looking up. Harry stood up. 

"See you tonight at the party..." he said and walked out of the Great Hall.

It was about seven o'clock. In the common room everybody was getting ready to start the surprise celebration for Hermione as soon as she entered.

"Everybody ready?" said Ron. Everybody said they were. "Good." He went over near to the door. "Seamus..." Seamus nodded and dimmed the lights. They heard the door open. Someone entered.

"Ron. Let go of me. Now," said Lynn.

"Sorry I thought it was Hermione," said Ron.

"Obviously I'm not," said Lynn. 

"Evidently," said Ron. A few seconds passed.

"Ron," said Lynn.

"Yeah?" said Ron.

"Move your hand of my thigh or you wont be able to lift it ever again..." said Lynn.

"I'm not touching your thigh!" said Ron.

"Well then who-" said Lynn, but stopped herself. A moment later a punch was heard.

"Ow!" said Seamus. "Seriously, no sense of humor!" Several people in the room laughed and chuckled.

"Don't try it again," said Lynn. "Wait a sec... I hear something...!" They heard the door open again. "OW!"

"Sorry!" said Hermione. "It's just too damn-" They lights came on.

"SURPRISE!" everyone called. Fred and George fired a few firecrackers that spread out confetti over the room.

"-dark in here..." said Hermione.

"Happy birthday, honey!" said Ron, and kissed her on the cheek. Hermione remained serious for a second. Then she showed a wide grin.

Harry sat down on the couch and exhaled heavily. They had only been celebrating Hermione for about ten minutes, but the exhaustion after the days work forced Harry to sit down. He closed his eyes for a second.

"Mind if I sit down?" said a voice.

"Sure Parvati, by all means..." said Harry. He didn't open his eyes but noticed that she sat down.

"So, how are you this evening?" said Parvati. 

"Fine, if a bit tired," said Harry. "And you?"

"Just fine, thank you," said Parvati. Harry opened his eyes and looked at her.

"You know what, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," said Harry.

"Oh, what could that be?" said Parvati.

"What's the deal with the whole 'fan-club' thing?" said Harry. "I mean- I don't quite get it. I never thought you and Lavender were, well, into me."

"Sorry to pop your bubble, Harry, but were really not that into you," said Parvati. "We just started the fan club for fun, to plant the seed of fangirl worshipping! You're just a very convenient target. We would've picked Malfoy, since he's hotter, but he's, you know, an evil Slytherin and all. Totally wrong for fangirl worshipping. You on the other hand is perfect since you're a Gryffindor, have some fame to begin with, plus are kinda cute, not hot like Malfoy, but still, you know, cute."

"Thanks. I think..." said Harry. He looked up. Ginny was talking to Lynn about something. Now Ginny laughed. Parvati looked over at Ginny too, and then back at Harry.

"Everything alright, Harry?" said Parvati in concerned voice. Ginny laughed again.

"Never better..." said Harry.

Later on it was time for the more private birthday celebration. Harry and the others gave Hermione her presents. The whole thing was rather happy and they went on for quite a while. But Harry couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable being around Ginny like that. It was almost like he had played a horrible prank on her that she still hadn't realised had been played on her account. When it was time for them everyone to leave Ginny quickly exchanged glances with Hermione, who nodded almost unnoticeably.

"Harry, could you wait a moment?" said Hermione when he was about to leave the room. Harry gave her a questioning look but remained.

"What is it?" said Harry after Ron had closed the door after him, Ginny and Lynn.

"What do you think you're doing?" said Hermione accusingly.

"Excuse me?" said Harry.

"Are you or are you not still interested in Cho?" said Hermione.

"Wha- um....I'm not interested in-" said Harry, not sounding convincing at all.

"Come off it, Harry, you're really not **that** hard to figure out!" said Hermione. "It was pretty obvious last year that you liked her." Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Hermione wouldn't let him begin talking. "If you liked her then is really not the point, just answer my question: are you still interested in her?"

"It's really no-" said Harry.

"-None of my business? When it concerns Ginny it does," said Hermione. "She's my friend and Ron's sister. I'd say it's my business."

"Hermione, I don't know what you've thought up about me, but-" said Harry.

"Harry, you stupid prat! You're in love with her!" said Hermione. Harry was silent. Then he went over to a chair standing at a nearby table, sat down, and then he sighed. He did not look at Hermione, but down onto his feet.

"Hermione, just...just stay out of it... I'm confused enough already..." he said. Hermione sighed, and then went over and sat down upon another chair at the table.

"Harry, I know this sound harsh, but if you like both Cho and Ginny, you're going to have to make a choice before it's to late," said Hermione.

"I know, I know..." said Harry. He looked up at her. "It's just that...I don't know what to do..."

"I figured as much..." said Hermione, showing a light smile. "Just try to come to a decision, okay? Especially for Cho's and Ginny's sake."

"I'll try..." said Harry. he got up of the chair. "Better go to bed. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," said Hermione. Harry went out of the room. What he did not know as he went up the staircase to his dormitory, was that someone had heard the whole thing.

The following day was Quidditch practice. The whole team including reserves met on the field at about five o'clock, the sun shining down from the clear blue sky. Harry was a bit nervous, being his first practice as a Captain and all. But he had devised a practice plan.

"Evening, team," he said. The team said "evening" also.

"Good evening!" a loud voice said, making everyone jump. "Oops, sorry!" Harry looked up at one of the towers. There sat Ron next to Lee, both smiling and waving.

"Hold on a second," said Harry, jumped up on his Firebolt, and zoomed up to Ron and Lee, leaving six somewhat stunned reserve players on the ground.

"That was really fast..." said Peter Boyd.

"Aye, it was..." said David McFadden. Meanwhile up in the tower, Harry jumped of his Firebolt and landed next to Ron.

"What are you doing here?" said Harry.

"I thought I'd show Ron a thing or two about commentating," said Lee.

"Okay..." said Harry, thinking that Ron really was one of the last persons to need such a lesson. "Just don't use the loudspeaker anymore, McGonnagall might get cranky." The real reason was that Harry didn't want Lee and Ron talking about every move they made.

"Oh, we already cleared it with her, it's okay," said Ron. Harry cursed his bad luck.

"Okay then," said Harry, forcing himself to smile. "But keep the negative comments to a minimum, I don't want the new players to become discouraged on their first day of training."

"Sure thing," said Ron. Harry jumped up on his Firebolt again, flew down to the team, and jumped off.

"Very fast again..." noted Peter quietly to David.

"Apparently, Ron is going to get some advise by Lee during our practice," said Harry. "Just don't pay too much attention to what they say..." He said the last part in an undertone. "Now, let's get this training underway! Let's start with getting the keepers some proper training. Neville, you go first, and then it's Amy's turn."

The training consisted of the keeper trying to fend of the quaffles thrown by the chasers. Since Angelina, Alicia and Katie were quite good chasers this was a bit tricky. But Neville passed the test admirably, only missing a few.

"Great job, Neville," said Harry when he was done. "Come on now, Amy, it's your turn." The somewhat muscular Amy Khondji mounted her broom. The sun gleamed of her dark hair as she flew up to guard the hoops. For one moment Harry was reminded of Cho, but then gave himself a mental slap, forcing himself to concentrate on the training. Amy did very well also, although not nearly as good as Neville. 

"And both Longbottom and Khondji both turned in a solid performance," said Ron over the loudspeaker.

"Yeah, but that nasty throw by Katie was an easy catch, though," said Lee.

"Oh yeah, that one wa-" said Ron.

"EXACTLY WHAT PART OF ME IS NASTY?!" called Katie at Lee and Ron as Amy landed on the pitch.

"Well done, Amy," said Harry a bit louder than usual, trying to get Katie to ignore Lee and Ron. He looked at Fred and George. "Fred, George, your turn."

"Understood, gov!" said George.

"Dave, Pete, come on," said Fred. He and George mounted their brooms and took off. David and Peter exchanged glances for a moment. Both were of normal height and build, the main difference being that instead of David's blonde curly hair Peter had brown curly hair. They mounted their brooms and sped after Fred and George. The training consisted out the Weasley twins playing as a team against McFadden and Boyd. It seemed more like a tennis game then Quidditch, but of course in tennis you the court was stationary and you wouldn't risk getting hit by a rampaging metal ball. Overall the whole thing went rather well, McFadden and Boyd showing real partnership and great reflexes.

"Fine teamwork from McFadden and Boyd," said Lee.

"Absolutely," said Ron. "Starting to look like worthy successors to Fred and George Weasley."

"Yeah, but only Quidditch-wise," said Lee. "The Weasley twins still rule the field in the joke department."

"Did you see the new one they invented?" said Ron.

"Which one?" said Lee.

"The one with th-" said Ron.

"Good work, David and Billy!" called Harry as the two landed, getting a bit annoyed with Ron and Lee's commentating. 

Harry turned to Ginny, Sofie Lucas and Emma Craig. Sofie Lucas was of normal height and had brown hair which reached down to her shoulders. She was actually very cute, and Harry had noticed that Peter Boyd seemed to slip a look at her once in a while when she wasn't looking his way. Emma Craig was an inch or two taller than both Ginny and Sofie, and had dark blonde hair.

"Time for you then girls," said Harry.

"Right," said Ginny, who smiled and nodded. Angelina, Alicia and Katie mounted their brooms.

"If you'll follow us then," said Angelina. She took of together with Alicia and Katie. Ginny, Sofie and Emma mounted their brooms and did the same

"Wait!" said Sofie. "Haven't we forgot something?"

"Oh, right, the quaffle!" said Angelina.

"Memory slipping a bit with the age, Angelina dear?" said Fred.

"Shut up, Weasley!" said Angelina, but showed a huge grin.

"My, bickering on the field," said Ron.

"Shut up, Weasley!" called Angelina, without a trace of the grin she'd just worn. She looked at Harry. "Look, can we have that quaffle now?"

"Just throw it to me," said Ginny, as she was closest. Harry picked up the quaffle.

"Here you go!" he said and threw it to her. Ginny caught it one-handed.

"Thanks!" she said and flew off, the sun gleaming on her hair. Once again Harry had to mentally slap himself to concentrate on the training.

The training for the chasers consisted of dividing into two teams, try to take the quaffle from the other team, and try to score in the other teams hoops. Angelina, Alicia and Katie obviously had the upper hand because of their experience, but Ginny, Sofie and Emma still managed to surprise them a few times.

"Nice pass by Weasley to Lucas!" said Ron. "I think they're going for a score! Come on, Ginny!" Alicia took the quaffle.

"Spinnet has the quaffle!" said Lee. "Pass to Bell, Johnson, back to Spinnet..." Sofie flew by Alicia and somehow she managed to quaffle so gracefully, that everyone became quite surprised when they saw that Alicia was holding thing air under her arm and Sofie had the quaffle in a firm grip. "Amazing! I've never such a smooth steal!" Sofie threw the Quaffle to Emma who threw it through one of opposing teams hoops.

"And it's a score for the new chasers!" said Ron.

When the training was over Harry decided to talk to the team in general.

"Great work from all of you, especially our new players. "Sofie certainly showed us a new move," said Harry, Sofie blushing a bit at the last part. "And I expect nothing less from the rest of you."

"What? You expect us to grab a quaffle so quick that no one can see it happen?" said David. Harry chuckled.

"Of course not," he said. "But if you manage to make a bludger bounce between all the players in the Slytherin team I'll be very impressed." Everyone laughed. "Next time we'll play a real practice match. Come on, back to Gryffindor tower!"

"Hear, hear!" said George, and everyone started moving up to the castle.

As they moved into October their schoolwork became tougher as they had to prepare for their OWLs. The fact that Zemeckare also kept them busy with the giant bees did not help.

"No, no, no! Don't go swatting at 'em if they come to close!" he called as Parvati and Lavender had panicked when a giant bee had decided that Lavender's head was a nice resting place. "They won't hurt you unless you irritate them!"

"Unbelievable," said Ron quietly as Zemeckare moved away towards Lavender to help her with the bee.

"What?" said Hermione.

"That there's another person in the world that has the same view on dangerous creatures as Hagrid...!" said Ron. The trio chuckled a bit.

"Well, Zemeckare only seem to be this way with the giant bees," said Harry.

That evening Harry was walking back from the library, having picked up a few books he needed for charms, transfiguration and potions. As he cast a glance at the book needed for the latter he grinned, reminded of the mornings potions lesson when Fonvielle had taken ten points each from Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle as they had attempted to play a prank on Ron and Hermione. They probably would've succeeded too if they hadn't been interrupted by their potions bubbling and hissing loudly, which led to Fonvielle taking points from them for neglecting the instructions and not paying attention to their work.

Harry turned a corner towards the Gryffindor tower and were surprised to walk right through something that made him feel like having a bucket of ice cold water poured over him.

"Oh, sorry," said Cedric, flying around to face him. "Haven't quite got used to this yet..."

"No problem," said Harry, shuddering slightly.

"I was looking for you actually," said Cedric. "There's something I'd like to speak to you about."

"Yeah, okay..." said Harry.

"It's about Cho," said Cedric. Harry looked quickly down the length of the corridor too see that they were alone. When he was sure they were he turned to Cedric again.

"Okay..." said Harry.

"She's had a hard time getting over my death, and we've been talking a lot the last few weeks," said Cedric. "And I know that....that...she, um..." Harry realised what Cedric was getting at. "...she like's you. She wont admit it, but I know she does... What about you? You like her?"

"I, um...eh... I guess I kinda- Yeah," said Harry, a bit taken back by the sudden question. Cedric smiled in almost sad kind of way.

"Then go for it, Harry," he said. "She's a great girl." Then he floated down through the floor and disappeared out of sight. Harry sighed and started going back towards Gryffindor tower, thinking that only five minutes ago he had thought his problems could get no worse. How wrong he had been. 

He reached the portrait, said the password ("Gnirenoeht!") and went into the common room. Just as he entered he met Ginny. Both of them stopped dead in their tracks. After a few seconds of staring at each other Ginny opened her mouth to speak. But before she could say a word, Harry stormed past her and up to his dormitory. Left behind was Ginny, looking at stairs up which he had disappeared, feeling if possible more despaired then before.

A/N: Sorry for the extremely long lack of update, but hey I'm back now at least!

One of the reasons that I haven't written all that much on this fic is because I didn't feel like writing anything with romance in it. You see, I was up to my ears in love with a girl, and when it didn't work out, I didn't feel heartbroken. Instead I felt that it was probably for the best, and for a long time I didn't care much for love. It was only till I realised that every time I heard her first name (it's a somewhat common name, so it was quite often) something inside gave a little jump, I still realised that I did actually care about love, and a great deal too. While it didn't work out with that girl, I know there's gotta be someone out there. And when I start studying at Stockholm's University this autumn, who knows what might happen?

The point is: my inspiration's back, so therefore my fic is back also!

Oh, and you know the thing at the beginning of the chapter where Harry crumples the paper, closes his fist around it and bangs the fist in the table three times? That part is from an episode of "The West Wing", and I felt I had to include that litte reference to that wonderful show.

Review comments:

dementorchic – Aw, thanks! ^_^ Hope your still checking back for a new chapter.

wrenbirdy – Thanks! Well, I can't call the update "soon", but hey, here it is.

AL89 – Thank you for calling the fic great, and also for the constructive criticism. I am perfectly aware that every word is not perfectly English, but don't you think that as a Swedish guy who's grown up on American movies my English is pretty good?

iluvorlando – Really, it's you? I never could've guessed.... Just kidding! ;p Have you seen "Pirates of the Carribean" yet? I'm going to see it when it opens here in Sweden next week. About your comment to AL89's review, everyone's entitled to an opinion (even though a part of me agree with you ^_^). Thanks!

harryluvzginny – Thanks!

Lancia – Thank you! If I like LOTR *I glance at my wall. On it are a 2 FOTR and 1 TTT poster, along with the theatrical and extended version of FOTR on DVD standing on my shelf* Yeah you could say that I like LOTR ^_~ The best part is I'm home alone next Wednesday when my TTT-DVD arrives!

Heather – GASP! No! You must not think that this is the end! We're only halfway through! Hope you liked the chapter.

Emher says "I'm back!" (I admit it, I saw Terminator 3 last Monday ;) Great movie!)

PS. I've finished the fifth book now, loved it! DS.


	9. Chapter 9 Hermione's Eleven

/N: After what have to have seemed like an almost eternal wait, the ninth chapter arrives! I've decided to make the chapters short and sweet from now on, the grand epic novel-length thing is good but exhausting! Besides, this has to be and alternative fifth year now that the books has been released.

Disclaimer: Seriously, dudes: I DON'T OWN THIS STUFF!!!

Chapter 9. Hermione's Eleven

Since Harry did not feel good with his personal life he buried himself in his work instead of dealing with his problems. He studied like never before for Week. He was seldom seen without a book or a parchment where he frenetically scribbled down Quidditch tactics. He rarely spoke to anyone outside of classes, and then it was regarding either school or Quidditch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One rainy afternoon Hermione sat down next to Ron, seated under the roof at the edge of one of the school gardens. He smiled.

"Hey there," he said.

"Hi," she said and smiled also. They were quiet for a while, just sitting there. "I don't suppose you have an idea?"

"For what?" said Ron. Hermione gave him a look. "Oh, about Harry. No. I don't."

"He can't stay like this forever!" said Hermione, a mixture of irritation and concern in her voice. "It's scary seeing him study so much." Ron scoffed.

"Yeah, it is kinda weird isn't it…" he said. "But it's really nothing we can do except be his friends."

"What good are we as his friends if he won't talk to us, he's ignoring the prob-" said Hermione angrily, being interrupted by Ron.

"He's gotta figure this one out himself, Mione. It doesn't matter what we say," he said. Hermione sighed.

"Unfortunately you're right…" she said, and was quiet for a while. "Why are you men such gits, anyway?" Ron chuckled.

"I really can't say," he said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"If one the beaters cover the hoops here, then two of the chasers can create a diversion over here…" Harry mumbled to himself whilst he scribbled down notes for a Quidditch tactic as he sat alone in the Gryffindor common room. A few days had passed since Ron and Hermione had talked about him and now it was a sunny and warm day, perfect for being outside.

"…thus creating a…a…" Harry paused and took a look at the drawing of the Quidditch patch that was now full of arrows, creating something that looked strangely like a- "…a Bertie Botts every flavour bean?" Harry finally snapped. The tension that had built up inside him over several weeks was finally released and he burst out laughing. Tears of laughter streamed down his cheeks and it felt like an enormous weight was lifted from his chest. He was laughing still minutes later, so he didn't hear that someone entered through the portrait. Ironically he stopped laughing a few seconds later. He felt tired after having released all that tension and kept his eyes shut, planning to take a nap right there in the chair. He did after all feel very tired...

But what happened next made him more awake than he hade ever been. At first he could not think. He couldn't comprehend what happened. Then his senses caught on and he realised what happened, his eyes confirming it. They person who had entered without him hearing was Ginny. And she was kissing him. Her eyes were closed so she didn't see that his were open. At first Harry didn't know what to do. Then he closed his eyes and kissed her back.

After about a minute Ginny broke the kiss. She and Ginny looked at each other, both trying to comprehend what had just happened. Then Ginny suddenly stormed of towards the staircase. Harry's mind was blank for a second or two. Then a voice in his mind screamed "Stop her, you numbskull!"

"WAIT!" Harry called. Ginny stopped, her left foot on the staircases first step. She turned towards him, wearing a expression that to Harry seemed to be mixture of anger, affection and confusion. "I…I…"He stood up, struggling to find something good to say. To find **anything** to say. "Ginny, I…"

"I heard you…" said Ginny.

"What?" said Harry.

"I heard you and Hermione talk the other night…" she said. "I'd gone back hoping to confront you on your way out of Hermione's room and I heard you and Hermione talk about…" A single tear ran down her cheek and her voice was shaky as she continued. "…about you having to make a choice…" Harry's face fell and along with it his heart.

"G-Ginny…" he managed to say, but he couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Well then, Harry, what's your choice?" said Ginny, her voice stronger now. "Little miss Weasley who's had a crush on you for years or miss Chang, the Ravenclaws own little dream girl who's both popular and pretty? Which is it?"

"Ginny, hold on for a second-" said Harry.

"NO!" Ginny exclaimed, making Harry jump a bit. "I'm tired of holding on, I'm tired of waiting! I've been in love with you for four years, Harry! **Four bloody years!** Have you **any** idea of how much effort it takes for staying in love with someone for that long when you know that there's no feelings from the other persons direction? Have you?! Well?!" She paused. Then she exhaled deeply, almost like a sigh. "But you know what? I'm done with it. I just can't take the hurt of it any more. So you go, Harry. Go and get together with Cho, she's probably great in bed even! Go, go and just forget me. Because that's what I'm going to go do with you." She began going up the stairs.

"Then why did you kiss me…?" said Harry. Ginny stopped. She turned towards him.

"I wanted to know if it was as good as I imagined," she said.

"Was it?" said Harry.

"That's the really sad part, Harry. It was better than I had imagined," said Ginny. "Good luck with Cho."

"Ginny, wait!" said Harry.

"WHY SHOULD I?!" she exclaimed.

"BECAUSE I DON'T LOVE HER, I LOVE YOU!" Harry exclaimed. The room fell silent. After what seemed like an eternity Ginny spoke.

"No, you don't. If you did you wouldn't have to choose…" she said in a voice that seems saturated with disappointment. She turned back towards the stairs and went up to her dormitory. Harry slumped back down into the chair and buried his head in his hands. The tears of laughter he'd had before was now turned into tears of sadness.

'Great, absolutely great…' Harry thought to himself. 'Not only do I have a fight with Ginny, I of course have to realise that I love her while we are in the midst of it…' And this was true. Harry had not realised that he loved Ginny until she'd said that she was going to forget about him.

"Harry? What's wrong?" a voice said. He looked up and there stood Hermione, a look of genuine concern on her face.

"Can we talk? In private?" he said.

"Sure. Come on," said Hermione and they both went into her private room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Harry sat on Hermione's bed he launched into a explanation of what had happened while Hermione stood, listening patiently.

"…I just couldn't let her forget me as she said she would…" he said, now into the last part of the explanation. "…since I realised I truly do love her…" He buried his face in his hands. "What do I do, Hermione? How can I convince her that I love her, not Cho?" He looked up at Hermione. Her eyes were filled with tears but she didn't cry. "How?" Hermione sat down beside him on the bed.

"I know the answer to many questions, Harry..." she said, her voice filled with compassion and a touch of sadness. "...but that is one question I don't know the answer to..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Come on, George, it's not funny..." said Ron. He was having lunch in the Great Hall.

"Of course it is, Ronnikins! Anyway, he told dad that it wasn't him-" said George, who was telling a story about Ron to some girls.

"I'm warning you!" said Ron, interrupting George.

"As I said he-" said George.

"That's it!" said Ron and got up to throw himself at George. But he only got about a two feet away from his chair. Hermione had interrupting him by casting a petrifying spell at him, causing him to thud down into the floor. George and the girls burst out laughing. Hermione cast the counter spell when she reached Ron, who got up of the floor whilst rubbing his nose. "Why the hell di-"

"Not now Ron, I need your help with something," said Hermione. She looked at George. "Meet me outside the library at seven o'clock. Bring Fred with you."

"Um...yes, ma'am," said George, actually sounding a bit intimidated. Hermione left the hall, almost dragging Ron after her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Okay, want to tell me what this is all about?" asked George at seven o'clock outside the library. He had, as ordered, brought George with him. Standing at the spot waiting for them was not only Hermione and Ron, but also Lynn, Angelina and Alicia.

"Let's go into the library," said Hermione. The group went in and selected a quiet corner. "Okay here's the deal: Harry's having a rough time right now." Fred scoffed.

"That's a bit of a understatement," he said. "I just wish he wouldn't keep Ginny in this kind of limbo and just choose between her and Cho so godda-

"Hear her out," said Ron.

"The thing is Harry and Ginny had an argument over this thing today," continued Hermione. "I won't go into specifics all that much but Harry made his choice. It was Ginny." Fred and George grinned broadly. "But....the thing is...Ginny didn't believe him..." The grins faded. "So now I have a favour to ask of you all. I want your help in getting Ginny to believe that Harry really does love her."

"Of course we'll help you," said Angelina.

"Anything for our Captain," said Alicia.

"Count us in," said Fred and George in unison.

"Lynn?" said Hermione. Lynn just smiled and nodded.

"You need some more help?" said a voice. Everyone turned to the voice and saw Sofie Lucas and Emma Craig.

"We'd like to help," said Sofie.

"Seeing as Ginny is our friend also," said Emma.

"Of course you can help too," said Hermione. A moment later two bodies tumbled out from behind a bookshelf, down onto the floor into a heap behind Sofie and Emma. A muffled "Ow!" was heard from the heap. Everyone directed the attention to the heap. After a few seconds Peter Boyd and David McFadden untangled themselves from each other and stood up, looking rather foolish.

"Um...we were just...er, um..." said David.

"Er...studying...studying...something..." said Peter. Sofie seemed amused by this, but said nothing.

"Don't suppose you would like to join in also?" said Ron.

"Well, if it's not to much trouble we kind of like to, er, be associates in this thing. Quest. Endev-" said Peter.

"You really are to cute," said Sofie with a smile, interrupting him.

"Aye, we're in," Peter finished quickly.

"Well...looks like we oughta call ourselves Hermione's Eleven then..." said Ron with a grin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: I'm so terribly very absolutely sorry that I haven't updated until now, but I've been busy with school, moved to an apartment I share with my sister, and had writers block. But now a new chapter is finally up, if a bit short. If you don't mind I want to keep it that way to be able to update more often.

A lot the things I did in this chapter I did "on the fly", such as Harry's and Ginny's fight and most of the chapter after that. Hermione's Eleven was just to great a joke to resist writing, so therefore I added a character to the group.

I'm too tired to write author's comments to the last chapter right now, Just want to get this things up and go to bed.

Your devoted if slightly dispersed writer,

Emher


End file.
